MANILA: A third Filipino seafarer was confirmed dead following the recent attacks in the northern Black Sea, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac reported on Saturday (Aug 1).
"Last week, two Filipinos were reported killed but in my report today, there is one more fatality. So there are three Filipinos killed in the northern Black Sea attacks in ships docked in Ukrainian ports," Cacdac said in Saturday News Forum.
While Cacdac did not disclose the identity and exact location of the deceased seafarers, he shared that he will fly to Romania on Monday to visit the morgue where the remains of one Filipino seafarer are currently laid.
He also said that he already visited the families of the deceased seafarers.
Citing President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s instruction, he added that they committed to providing them full support and assistance.
Cacdac also reported that of the 236 Filipinos in 17 attacked ships in the area, 217 are unharmed while 15 are injured. Eighty nine have so far been repatriated, including nine of those who sustained injuries.
He added that the agency is coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs, ship owners, and manning agencies for the flight home of the remains of the three seafarers.
Cacdac said the DMW issued an advisory to all manning agencies and ship owners for all seafarers in attacked ships in Northern Black Sea to be repatriated, for 180 Filipino seafarers in unattacked ships in the area to be brought to safer ports and ground. There is also an order for ships with Filipino crewmen not to proceed to the affected area.
Cacdac then cited an assessment the agency received from the DFA and the Department of National Defence where “they established full scale international armed conflict in the area.”
"There is a high level of danger, that’s why there should be no Filipino seafarers in that area," he stressed. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
