2 Filipino seamen missing in North Sea ship accident

DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Two Filipino seamen were reported missing after their ship sank following a collision with a fishing vessel in the North Sea off the Netherlands early Monday morning, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.

“Our Embassy in The Hague informed the DFA and confirmed that two Filipinos are missing after their ship, the Maria, sank following a collision with fishing trawler Texel 68 on the North Sea off the Dutch coast on October 7,” DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez told reporters.

“The ship was deployed to guard an oil drilling platform about 40 kilometers southwest of the Dutch navy port of Den Helder,” he said.

Out of the five crew members of the ship, two had been rescued while the three others, including the two Filipinos, are still missing.

The Dutch Coast Guard was still conducting search and rescue operations for the missing seamen.

“Our embassy continues to monitor developments on this in coordination with the authorities there as well as the shipping agent of the ship,” Hernandez said.