108 of 296 Filipino crewmembers of Costa Concordia arrive in Manila

Foreign Affairs Executive Director for Migrant Workers Affairs Ricardo Endaya (3rd from right) and Foreign Affairs Speacial Assistant Enrico Fos (2nd from left) welcome the Filipino crewmembers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. DFA Photo

MANILA, Philippines—The first batch of Filipino crewmembers of a sunken luxury liner off the coast of Italy arrived in Manila on Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

Foreign Affairs Executive Director for Migrant Workers Affairs Ricardo Endaya and Foreign Affairs Special Assistant Enrico Fos welcomed the 108 crewmembers of MV Costa Concordia at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the DFA said in a statement.

The Costa Concordia was carrying more than 4,200 passengers and crew when it ran aground shortly after starting a seven-day Mediterranean cruise on its way to Marseille in France and Barcelona in Spain, just as many passengers were having dinner.

A total of 296 Filipinos were on board as crewmembers of the stricken 17-deck cruise ship.

The DFA said that the second and third batches of Filipino crew members to be repatriated are expected to arrive in Manila on Friday and Saturday.

Philippine Ambassador to Italy Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr. personally sent off and assisted the first batch of Filipino  expatriates as they boarded their flights at Fiumicino Airport in Rome on Wednesday, the DFA said.

Costa Crociere S.p.A, the company which owns the cruise ship, assured the embassy’s Emergency Response Team that it will pay for their lost belongings and cash of the Filipino crewmembers, the DFA said.