16 marooned Filipino seafarers in China coming home

 File photo / DFA 

MANILA, Philippines — Sixteen Filipino seafarers, who have been stranded in China for months, are scheduled to return home  on Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Three land-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will also join the repatriation. The DFA, in a statement on Monday, said the Filipinos will arrive in Manila at around 1 a.m.

According to the DFA, 11 of the 16 returning Filipino seafarers are from Ocean Star 86. They have been stranded in Dongshan, China since March this year,

Meanwhile, the other five seafarers on board M/V Maria P. have been stranded in the coastal city of Ningde since July 2020.

“Both are Chinese fishing vessels which were affected by China’s ‘no disembarkation’ policy as precautionary measure due to the pandemic and the unavailability of commercial flights,” the DFA said.

Through the Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen, the DFA said it has been monitoring the condition of the seafarers since they were stranded.

“The Consulate has been providing them welfare assistance and ensured that their salaries and other entitlements are provided for by their employer,” it added.

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