Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has stranded some 7,313 Filipino seafarers, as they await the green light to traverse the now deadly shipping lane. The Philippines supplies a quarter of the world’s seamen.
A series of Iranian strikes has effectively closed the strait, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass, plunging the global energy economy into crisis.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac assured that all Filipino crew members aboard two vessels attacked in the Persian Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, are safe and being moved to safer ports.
In a radio interview, Cacdac said three cargo ships were hit by projectiles believed launched by Iran.
“For the last 48 hours, it was reported in the international media that three ships were attacked in the Persian Gulf with projectiles and an unknown object. Two of those three ships have Filipinos,” Cacdac said.
“One of the ships has 21 Filipino crew members; they are all safe. The other has 17 Filipino crew, and they are also all safe. They are being transported to a safer port at the moment,” he added.
Cacdac said the other ship was a Thailand-flagged vessel and had no Filipino crew.
Missing Pinoy
He, however, said one Filipino seaman, George Miranda, is listed as missing.
Miranda last spoke to his wife and young daughter as he was racing to help a stricken vessel aboard the tugboat Mussafah 2.
The 46-year-old’s tugboat was struck by a pair of missiles this week in the Strait of Hormuz.
Cacdac said search operations are continuing for Miranda.
“The search is ongoing. There were crew found on the tugboat, but it wasn’t him,” he said.
Not listed with DMW
He said DMW and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration teams have visited the family of the missing seafarer to offer support and assistance.
“The shipowner didn’t register the crew member with us, so that’s one offense in itself. That is our assessment. We will issue the final investigation at the right time. For now, let’s focus on monitoring the search and rescue operation and aiding the family,” he said.
Right of refusal
Meanwhile, Cacdac urged shipowners and manning agencies to ensure the protection of Filipino seafarers, particularly their right to refuse to sail in high-risk and strife areas, including the Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman.
He said these conditions are under the International Bargaining Forum and approved by international maritime labor stakeholders.
Judy Domingo, president of the 50,000-strong United Filipino Seafarers union, said she has taken hundreds of calls from concerned sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, with their food supplies among the immediate concerns.
“There are members expressing a desire to leave their ship. But, of course, we cannot get them out of there immediately. We have to consider their location and a safe port for them to disembark,” Domingo said.
One stranded seaman who has been posting online videos of his experiences under the name Choi described a vote in which the crew was asked if they wanted to risk passage through the strait, where traffic has slowed to a trickle.
“Our captain gathered us in the conference room to ask us who wanted to pass through,” he said in a video posted to Facebook and verified by AFP Fact Check.
“We chose to go home alive,” he said. “There are 27 of us. Almost everyone refused to sail.”