Remains of Pinoy sailor in Canary Islands accident now with Spanish police


GIAN C. GERONIMO, GMA News

 The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday said the remains of the Filipino seaman who died in a cruise ship accident in the Canary Islands on Sunday are now in a mortuary under the custody of Spanish police.

The Philippine Embassy in Madrid, Spain also confirmed that another Filipino seaman was injured at the accident but has been released from the hospital.

DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez relayed these developments in a text message to GMA News Online, citing information from Ambassador Carlos Salinas in Spain.

He said the body is in a mortuary under custody of the local Spanish police pending completion of the investigation on the accident.

“The local ship agents assured that the remains will be repatriated as soon as the authorities give the proper clearance and permission,” Hernandez said.

“Our embassy is closely monitoring the case and will provide appropriate assistance for the immediate repatriation of the remains of the Filipino seaman,” he continued.

On Monday, it was reported that five crew members, including the Filipino, died in a lifeboat drill on a cruise ship in the Canary Islands on Sunday.

Cables on a lifeboat snapped, plunging it 20 meters (65 feet) into the ocean. The boat fell upside down, killing the five and injuring three others aboard the Thomson Majesty, operated by British travel group TUI Travel plc.

The boat was docked in the port of the capital of the island of La Palma, Santa Cruz. 

There were 1,498 passengers on board the 20-year-old ship at the time, a Thomson Cruises spokesman said.

None of them was involved in the accident. The ship is registered in Malta and owned by Cyprus-based cruise line Louis Cruises.

The Thomson Majesty, with five restaurants and two swimming pools, cruises to the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, according to Thomson's website.
- with reports from Reuters/Michaela del Callar, VVP, GMA News

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