MANILA—The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday said it has received information from authorities in the Sultanate of Oman that the nine Filipino seafarers of the ill-fated M/V Eternity C, who were held hostage by the Houthis in the Red Sea, will be released and transferred from Sana’a, Yemen, to Muscat, Oman.

The DFA said the release resulted from efforts undertaken by Oman in cooperation with the Philippine government. According to the agency, Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro personally discussed the situation of the Filipino seafarers with Omani Foreign Minister Sayed Badr bin Hamad El-Busaidi during a bilateral meeting in July, and again raised the matter in a phone call in November.

The Philippine Embassy in Muscat and the Migrant Workers Office–Muscat will coordinate arrangements for the safe and immediate return of the seafarers to the Philippines.

“The Philippines expresses its sincerest appreciation to the Sultanate of Oman,” the DFA said.