Manila - Somali pirates freed a Philippine chemical tanker and its 23 Filipino crew members Tuesday after five months in captivity, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The Stolt Strength "is now under the command of Captain Abelardo Pacheco and proceeding to safer waters," the department said in a statement.

"The Philippine government conveys its appreciation to all parties that helped facilitate the release of the vessel and the regaining of freedom for its long-suffering crew and their families," it added.

Pirates hijacked the Stolt Strength on November 10 in the Gulf of Aden while it was carrying a cargo of phosphoric acid from Senegal to India.

The release brought the number of Filipino seafarers being held captive by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden down to 85. Since 2006, 227 Filipinos have been abducted in the area.

Over the weekend, the Philippine government announced a ban on the deployment of Filipino sailors on vessels that would navigate waters off Somalia due to increased pirate attacks.

The Philippines is the world's leading supplier of crews, with over 350,000 Filipino sailors manning oil tankers, luxury liners and passenger vessels worldwide. (dpa