Three Filipino seafarers found themselves caught in the crossfire of the Russia-Ukraine war.
They were injured when a Russian missile pierced through their Liberian-flagged civilian vessel in the Black Sea off Ukraine's port city of Odessa, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.
According to DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega, the three include a chip captain, a third mate, and an engine trainee.
The engine trainee sustained a fracture in his left hand, while the captain and the third mate incurred minor injuries.
Three Filipino seafarers found themselves caught in the crossfire of the Russia-Ukraine war.
They were injured when a Russian missile pierced through their Liberian-flagged civilian vessel in the Black Sea off Ukraine's port city of Odessa, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.
According to DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega, the three include a chip captain, a third mate, and an engine trainee.
The engine trainee sustained a fracture in his left hand, while the captain and the third mate incurred minor injuries.
"(They) are being treated in a hospital in Odessa," De Vega told the DAILY TRIBUNE in a Viber message. He said the three were "all out of danger."
"All their next of kin have been notified that they are out of harm's way," he added.
The DFA is investigating reports of a possible fourth Filipino sailor being injured in the attack.
"We are verifying reports that there was a fourth Filipino seafarer also with minor injuries at the hospital," he said, adding that the origin of the missile is unclear, but media reports suggest it was a Russian missile.
The vessel was said to be en route to China, carrying iron ore.
The DFA said at least one Ukrainian port employee was killed in the incident.
Meanwhile, the Department of Migrant Workers reported that the injured Filipinos were a ship's captain, able seaman, deck cadet, and ship's electrician who were on the bridge of the ship when the missile hit.
"Thankfully, they were far enough from the point of impact and suffered non-fatal injuries. They are all out of danger," DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac said.
He said the Liberian-flagged ship was the Kmax Ruler that was docked at the port of Pivdennyi near Odessa.
Cacdac said the DMW instructed the seafarers' manning agency and ship owner to provide the necessary assistance to the injured Filipinos.
"As soon as we received the report of the incident, we instructed their manning agency and ship owner to determine what else could be done for them," Cacdac said.