Pinoy seafarer killed in Nigeria hijacking

MANILA, Philippines – A Filipino seafarer was shot dead when his vessel was attacked by pirates off the coast of Nigeria, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday, February 6.

“The family of the fatality has already been informed of this sad development,” DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez told reporters.

Hernandez declined to disclose the identity of the man – who was pronounced dead upon arrival at a hospital – but said the repatriation of his remains as well as the 8 Filipino survivors of the hijacking is already being organized.

All 9 crew members were on board the Marshall Islands-flagged Pyxis Delta chemical tanker when it was attacked on Monday, February 4, by armed pirates near Nigeria’s oil-rich coast.

Regarding the details of the incident, Hernandez said: “This information is still preliminary and we are hoping to get more information from the manning agency today or tomorrow.”

Dozens of Filipinos – most working in the lucrative energy sector – have been killed or kidnapped in the past by Islamist militants or common criminals in Nigeria, but a deployment ban to the oil-rich African country was lifted in April 2012 by the DFA. – with reports from Carlos Santamaria/Rappler.com