By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
On the heels of successfully repatriating all Filipino seafarers onboard MV Magic Seas over the weekend, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced that eight Filipino seafarers onboard MV Eternity C have reached safety after their traumatic voyage.
They were onboard the ill-fated vessel that was struck by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and are now under the care of the Migrant Workers Office-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (MWO-OWWA) in Saudi Arabia.
“These brave seafarers have endured a traumatic ordeal at sea. We are working round-the-clock with their manning agency and the shipping company to ensure they receive the care and support they need,” Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said.
The DMW, in close coordination with the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, is working urgently to ensure the immediate repatriation of the Filipino seafarers and their access to critical support services, including medical evaluations, psychosocial counseling, and the issuance of travel documents.
Meanwhile, the agency is working on accounting for 13 other Filipino seafarers onboard the sunken bulk carrier, providing assistance and reassurance to their families in the Philippines as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
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