Mother of missing Pinoy seafarer: 'Sana makaligtas silang lahat'

The families of the 14 Filipino seafarers who went missing after their ore carrier sank off Uruguay last week continue to pray for good news, GMA News' Ivan Mayrina reported on Balitanghali on Tuesday.
"Masakit po sa akin. Sumakit ang ulo [ko]. Sana naman po ay makaligtas silang lahat. Yun lamang po ang dalangin ko," said Rebecca Oblipias, mother of Rodel Oblipias, one of the missing crewmembers of the ill-fated MV Stellar Daisy.
The South Korean vessel, which has 16 Filipino and eight Korean crew members, sank 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) off Uruguay's coast on Friday while on its way to China from Brazil.
Survivors
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the two Filipino survivors were still on board MV Elpida, the ship that rescued them, as of Tuesday.
"The said freighter is still in the Atlantic Ocean as part of the search and rescue operation for the missing crew members," said DFA spokesperson Charles Jose in a statement.
"We are monitoring where the two rescued Filipino seamen will eventually be taken, Uruguay or Brazil, and our Embassy there will be ready to assist them," he added.
The 16 Filipino crewmen who were on board MV Stellar Daisy when it sank were:
  • Jose Marie Cabrahan
  • Renato Daymiel
  • John Rey Baring
  • Joselito Cesa
  • Marino Alcantara
  • Wendell Muzares
  • Jefferson Casais
  • Joker Ynno Cabarron
  • Joshua Estenzo
  • Wilfredo Tolentino
  • Rodel Oblipias
  • Ardiezer Torno
  • Gabriel Refugio Jr.
  • Billy Jason Abeledo
  • Edmundo Agregado Jr.
  • Neil Winston Espineli
The DFA did not identify who among these were the survivors.
Safe but sad
Abosta Ship Management Corp., the company that deployed the Filipino seafarers, said it has already reached out to the survivors to check on their condition, the report said.
"Nakausap ko 'yung dalawang crew namin, maayos naman sila although nalungkot sila sa nangyari," Alex Estabillo, Abosta Ship's VP for operations, said.
Estabillo said based on information reaching them, MV Stellar Daisy sank after its ballast tank took in water.
"'Pag pumasok ang tubig, napuno ng tubig 'yung ballast tank, the vessel will lose its buoyancy. Simply, nawalan ng balanse ang barko, tumagilid nang tumagilid, at mabilis ang kanyang paglubog," he said. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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