DMW: Filipino seafarers affected by Russian missile attack to be repatriated By GISELLE OMBAY, GMA Integrated News

All Filipinos who were on board the vessel which was damaged by a Russian missile in the Black Sea are set to be repatriated, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced Sunday. DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said that the Liberian-flagged civilian vessel hit by the missile was boarded by an all Filipino crew. However, he explained, they may need to be sent back home as their ship was already damaged. “Isinasaayos 'yung kanilang pagpapauwi sa ngayon dahil nga lahat sila may pinagdaanan na sitwasyon, na event na hindi pangkaraniwan. ‘Yan ang pag-uusap namin sa manning agency ngayon at hopefully in due time, makakauwi sila,” Cacdac said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. (Their repatriation is being arranged right now because the crew all went through an unusual situation. That is what we are coordinating with the manning agency, and hopefully in due time, they will be able to go home.) “Mainam na pauwiin muna sila at mahagkan nila ang kanilang mga pamilya, makapiling nila ang kanilang pamilya gawa nu'ng pinagdaanan nila. ‘Yan ay sinasagawa na rin ngayon,” he added. (It is better to send them home first and let them be with their families because of what they went through. That is being done now.) Three of the Filipino crew were hurt following the incident. An engine trainee had a fracture on his left hand, while the two others — the ship’s captain and third mate — only suffered minor injuries. Cacdac said the engine trainee was immediately brought to a hospital and had a “successful” operation. Based on a Reuters’ report, the Russian missile hit the crew’s vessel entering a Black Sea port in Odesa region. It was supposed to transport iron ore to China, Ukraine Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said. One person was killed due to the incident. A port employee was also wounded aside from the three Filipino crew members. —KG, GMA Integrated News

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