3rd PH seafarer killed in Black Sea attacks
MANILA, Philippines — A third Filipino seafarer has died in recent attacks on ships operating in the northern Black Sea, following the two other fatalities reported last week, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said on Saturday.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the seafarer was killed during Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports where ships transporting Filipino seafarers dock from time to time.
He said a total of 17 ships carrying 236 Filipino seafarers were trapped during the strikes, which have led to 15 injuries and three deaths, with one still missing.
“Last week, two were deceased, but I am now reporting that another one was added to the casualties. So, three have died in the northern Black Sea attacks on Ukrainian ports,” Cacdac told the Saturday News Forum briefing.
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Marcos directive
Repatriation efforts are ongoing, with 89 already brought back home, Cacdac said, adding that nine of them were among the 15 injured seafarers.
“The rest are distributed across Ukraine,” he said. “Some landed in the Ukrainian mainland, others in Romania, Greece and Turkey. They are distributed across these countries.”
The DMW chief said the government is coordinating with the shipowner regarding bringing home the bodies of the three fatalities.
“Per instruction of President [Marcos], I have personally visited all the families of the three deceased, including the one missing,” Cacdac said, adding that he will also visit Filipino seafarers in Romania, west of Ukraine.
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Other Filipino crew
Meanwhile, the DMW has issued an advisory urging manning agencies and shipowners to repatriate Filipino crew members in ships caught in the attacks at the northern Black Sea.
As for other ships still in the area, the DMW called on shipowners to bring all Filipinos onboard to safer ground.
“There are 12 ships carrying 180 Filipino seafarers that are [so far spared from attacks] but [are] still in the area. So our instruction to shipowners is to bring all these Filipino seafarers to safer ground or safer port,” Cacdac said.
Ships that are planning to sail into the northern Black Sea were also advised not to continue, particularly vessels with Filipino seafarers onboard.
“We have received security assessments from both the [Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of National Defense] and both have asserted and established a full-scale international armed conflict in the area. There is a high rate of danger, so there needs to be no Filipino seafarers in that area,” Cacdac said.
