5 Filipino sailors caught in storm rescued off Spain

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Embassy in Spain is already in touch with Spanish authorities regarding the rescue of the five Filipino sailors who were caught in a storm off the coast of northwestern Spain.

“Our Embassy in Madrid is coordinating with the Spanish Coast Guard to get information about the five rescued Filipino seafarers, including their identities and physical condition,” Raul Hernandez, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a press conference Wednesday.

The Spanish Coast Guard reported that they rescued five Filipino sailors from the ship Esnaad 715 that was “in danger of sinking” after being caught in a storm 50 nautical miles from La Coruna, a Spanish port.

The coast guard were able to rescue the sailors via helicopter despite strong winds from the storm and brought them to the Spanish port of Viveiro.

There are a total of 366,865 Filipino sea-based workers deployed all over the world as of 2012, according to records of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency.