The remains of the two Filipino seafarers who were killed in a missile attack by Houthi rebels last week have yet to be retrieved, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.
“Their bodies have not been recovered, partially because the ship was still burning a few days ago,” DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega said in a Palace briefing.
De Vega, however, said that efforts to retrieve the remains of the two seafarers, including that of the Vietnamese national, who were killed in the attack, were underway.
“The manning agency has reported that they are trying to bring the ship to a nearby port where it could be salvaged. Hopefully, the remains can be recovered and eventually brought home to the Philippines,” he said.
The two Filipinos, along with 13 other Filipinos, four Vietnamese, and one Indian, were on board the civilian bulk carrier True Confidence when a Houthi missile struck it on 6 March.
Repatriations
The Philippine government, De Vega said, is working on the repatriation of the two Filipinos who were severely injured in the attack. He noted that one other Filipino who was injured had recovered.
“Now, as for the three seafarers who were injured, actually, one has recovered and will be joining the 10 others who were not injured, so that’s why there are 11 coming home tonight (12 March),” he said.
“Two are still in the hospital, as mentioned. They are recovering, although their injuries are grave — one seaman suffered severe facial burns, and the cook had to have his leg amputated,” De Vega said.
He added: “However, the Department of Migrant Workers, under the whole of government approach, is working with the manning agency for their repatriation which will have to come later in the week.”
De Vega, the two injured Filipinos, will be flown to the Philippines in an air ambulance.
“This is part of the Philippines’ longstanding effort to protect and assist our seafarers and their families and, of course, pursuant to the directive of the President,” he said.
Aid for seafarers
He said that so far, each Filipino crew member has received more than P55,000 in financial assistance from the DFA.
“We provided the first tranche of financial assistance — this was from the Department of Foreign Affairs, we gave them a thousand dollars each — and we checked on their repatriation,” he said.
In a radio interview, the DMW officer-in-charge, Hans Leo J. Cacdacs, said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration will provide financial assistance to the Filipino seafarers affected by the attack.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed the DMW and the DFA, OWWA, the Department of Health, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to assist the affected seafarers and their families.
Home
The DMW confirmed that the 11 Filipino crew members of the ship hit by Houthi were scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on Tuesday.
It said the DFA issued the travel documents to the returning crew members, whose flight arrangements are managed by their shipping and manning agencies.
The 11 returning seafarers are composed of the 10 unharmed crew members in the missile attack on their ship as it was traversing the Gulf of Aden.
Aboard the Greek-owned, Barbados-flagged ship were 15 Filipinos, four Vietnamese, and the Indian captain.
According to DMW, the 11th returning crew member suffered minor injuries during the emergency evacuation of the ship. Medical authorities cleared him as “fit for travel.”
Meanwhile, two Filipino crew members remain in a hospital in Djibouti City. Their condition is stable and being monitored by medical professionals. They will be repatriated to the Philippines as soon as they are medically certified as “fit for travel,” he said.
“We pray for the success of the salvaging operation so that the remains of our two fallen seafarers can be repatriated,” Cacdac said. “As we continue to express our condolences and prayers to their families.”
Urgent but needs refinement
Acknowledging the importance of well-crafted legislation that would improve the lives of seafarers, De Vega said he respects the President’s and legislators’ efforts in refining it.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. opted not to sign the proposed legislation, with the Palace saying that it was currently under review.
The proposed legislation aims to grant seafarers access to fair working conditions and equitable pay by mandating recruitment agencies to furnish them with comprehensive details regarding onboard conditions and relevant laws applicable to Filipino seafarers.
“We fully respect the President and the legislators’ desire to improve the bill as it is. (But it should be passed as soon as possible), but not so soon that they forget whatever they wanted to fix in the first place,” he said.
Israel Embassy sends condolences
The Israel Embassy in the Philippines on Tuesday offered its condolences to the families of the two Filipino seafarers who perished in a missile attack.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families and the government of the Philippines for the tragic loss of two Filipino seafarers due to the fatal attack by the Iran-backed militant group Houthi in the Gulf of Aden on 6 March,” the embassy said in a statement.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the affected families, and we wish for the speedy recovery of the three injured Filipino seafarers,” it added.
The embassy, likewise, condemned the daily attacks on ships traversing the Yemeni coastlines and nearby seas by the Houthi rebels.
“During these trying times, we express our solidarity with the Philippines and join in condemning terrorism,” it said. “The attacks by the Houthis on vessels in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean violate the freedom of navigation, threaten the welfare of seafarers, and impact the shipment sector, supply chains, and prices of oil.”
German protection
The German government vowed to provide Filipino seafarers “highest protection” following the Houthi attack in the Gulf of Aden last week, the DFA said.
The Philippines and Germany are set sign a joint declaration of intent on strengthening cooperation in the maritime sector, facilitating maritime trade, and ensuring the mobility of Philippine-owned vessels.
“Of course, our expectation is we are not going to tell Germany what to do, obviously. We are not going to tell them to join the coalition or what, but we do expect and they will ensure that for ships bound for Germany,” De Vega said. “For example, German ports, German-flagged vessels that they will give the highest protection to our seafarers.”
