Stranded Pinoy crewmembers of abandoned vessel arrive in PHL

The 15 Filipino sailors of an abandoned vessel returned to the country last weekend after being stranded at sea for eight months, a Philippine embassy report said on Thursday.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the company, which owned the vessel MV B Lady Bug, went bankrupt and abandoned the crew off Maltese waters.

“The long-wait came to an end last April 17 as the 15 Filipino sailors finally disembarked from the ship, made possible by the Court of Malta’s decision to approve the sale of the vessel to new owners,” Jose told a press briefing.

The sailors arrived in the Philippines on April 19.

A replacement crew was hired by the new owners, which paved the way for the 15 Filipino seamen to leave the ship, ending their eight-month ordeal, Jose said.

The Filipinos received favorable financial settlement, which included the payment of their back wages and allowances plus interests and repatriation costs to the Philippines.

Consul Enrique Pingol of the Philippine Embassy in Rome coordinated the repatriation of the sailors.

“They were properly assisted until the end with their disembarkation in Malta, meeting with Maltese lawyers to settle their unpaid wages or allowances and repatriation to the Philippines,” Jose said.

The manning agency that deployed the seafarers, Southeast Asia Shipping Corp., has already been suspended for failing to repatriate them months after they were stranded on the ship.— with Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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