Manila: A total of 33 Filipino seafarers affected by separate maritime security incidents in the Black Sea and the Strait of Hormuz have safely returned to the Philippines over the past four days, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
According to Philippines News Agency, the latest group comprised six Filipino crew members of the Liberia-flagged oil and product tanker MV Al Bahyah, who arrived Monday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 aboard Qatar Airways Flight QR934. The vessel, carrying six Filipino crew members, was reportedly involved in a security incident while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. All six Filipino seafarers were safely rescued. Five were unharmed, and one sustained a minor injury.
Representatives from the DMW and OWWA welcomed the seafarers at the airport and provided financial assistance. The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) medical team also conducted initial medical assessments before the crew members were turned over to their licensed manning agency, BSM Crew Service Centre Philippines Inc.
The DMW continues to remind licensed manning agencies and their accredited principals to strictly observe all safety measures and comply with existing directives to ensure the safety and welfare of Filipino seafarers transiting high-risk maritime areas, including the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, two batches of repatriated Filipino crew members from separate incidents in the Black Sea also arrived in the country. On July 25, OWWA said 15 Filipino seafarers from MV Arosa and MT Gas Lisbon returned to the country after being affected by separate incidents linked to the continuing tensions in the Black Sea. The group included nine crew members from MV Arosa, who arrived via EVA Air Flight BR261, and six from MT Gas Lisbon, who arrived via Qatar Airways QR932.
Upon arrival, each of the repatriated seafarers received airport assistance from the OWWA and the DMW, including special financial assistance. They were later received by their licensed manning agencies and were temporarily accommodated in a hotel while awaiting medical examinations and travel arrangements to their home provinces. The agency said its regional welfare offices would continue to coordinate with the seafarers to provide welfare services, psychosocial support, referrals, and other assistance to help them recover and reintegrate.
Meanwhile, on July 24, another 12 Filipino seafarers from the Panama-flagged LPG tanker MV Gas Aura also arrived in Manila after the vessel was reportedly hit twice by drone attacks while anchored near Kavkaz, Russia, in the Black Sea. OWWA said MV Gas Aura was hit on July 12 and 15, damaging the vessel and forcing the evacuation of the crew. Two Filipino seafarers sustained burn injuries and were repatriated ahead of the rest of the crew to receive immediate medical treatment.
The remaining crew members arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 aboard Turkish Airlines Flight TK084, where they were met by personnel from OWWA, the DMW, and the MIAA medical team. They also received financial assistance and other airport assistance before being turned over to their licensed manning agency for temporary hotel accommodation, medical checkups, and transportation arrangements to their respective provinces.
Meanwhile, the DMW also reminded licensed manning agencies and their accredited principals to strictly comply with existing safety directives for vessels passing through high-risk maritime areas and war-like zones, such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea, to ensure the safety and welfare of Filipino seafarers.
