MANILA, Philippines - Seventeen Filipino seafarers on board a Greek-owned bulk carrier were kidnapped by Somali pirates on March 19, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday. This development brings to 71 the total number of Filipinos held by the pirates since November last year.

DFA spokesperson Ed Malaya told GMANews.TV that the MV Titan, a St. Vincent-flagged ship with 24 men on board, was en route to South Korea when it was hijacked by Somali pirates in the troubled Gulf of Aden.

"The DFA instructed the Philippine embassy in Nairobi to coordinate with proper authorities concerning the safety and well-being of the seamen," Malaya said.

Reports from the Philippine Embassy in Kenya said that aside from the 17 Filipinos, three Greeks, three Romanians, and one Ukranian seamen were also aboard the ship.

Data from the DFA showed that aside from the MV Titan, three other vessels with 54 Filipinos remain anchored in Somalia.

The other vessels hijacked by Somali pirates include the MV Stolt Strength (with 23 Filipinos), MT Longchamp (with 12 Filipinos), and a previously unreported MV Saldanha (hijacked last Feb. 22 with 19 Filipinos).

The MV Stolt Strength, which was hijacked last Nov. 10, has been in the hands of Somali pirates for 133 days.

Third ship

MV Titan is the third ship predominantly manned by Filipinos that was hijacked by Somali pirates this year.

Last year, 208 Filipinos on board 17 vessels were kidnapped by pirates in the Horn of Africa.

Somali pirates are known to demand ransom from shipowners in exchange for the release of their vessels, including crewmen and valuable cargoes. The Philippine government, however, won't confirm any exchange of money between shipowners and pirates.

The government maintains that it does not talk directly with the kidnappers but merely coordinates efforts to expedite the safe release of the Filipino seamen.