Twenty-two Filipino seafarers safely returned to Manila on August 30 after surviving a missile strike on their commercial vessel in the Black Sea region of Ukraine.
The crew members landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 aboard Turkish Airlines Flight TK084. They were received upon arrival by Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary for Sea-Based OFW Concerns Augusto B. San Diego III, officials from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and a medical team from the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).
To help address their immediate post-repatriation needs, the returning workers received direct financial assistance from the DMW’s AKSYON Fund, distributed under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s UPLIFT initiative.
The crew was aboard the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier M/V Antonia S when it was hit by a missile on August 19 while berthed at the port of Chornomorsk, Ukraine.
Following the strike, local authorities immediately evacuated the crew to a designated shelter inside Chornomorsk Port, where they remained until temporary accommodations and repatriation flights back to the Philippines could be secured.
The vessel’s Filipino captain expressed gratitude to the ship’s foreign security officer, whose timely warning allowed the crew to move to the upper deck and take emergency precautionary measures moments before the missile struck.
Welcoming the workers home, Assistant Secretary San Diego reminded Filipino seafarers of their fundamental right to refuse deployment into designated high-risk zones.
“Isama ninyo sa inyong mga panalangin ang ating mga kababayang seafarers na patuloy na naglalayag sa mga lugar na apektado ng giyera. Higit sa lahat, ipanalangin natin na matapos na ang digmaan at matigil na ang karahasan na patuloy na naglalayag sa panganib sa buhay ng ating mga seafarers,” San Diego said, urging the public to remember maritime workers who remain in war-affected regions.
He emphasized that seafarers should never hesitate to decline sailing into areas where their safety is compromised and urged them to seek immediate assistance from proper authorities whenever necessary.
The DMW reaffirmed President Marcos’ directive instructing licensed manning agencies and foreign accredited principals to strictly monitor crew welfare, implement comprehensive safety measures and fully comply with safety protocols for vessels transiting conflict zones.
Following their arrival, the repatriated crew will undergo medical and psychological evaluations managed by their manning agency to support their physical and psychosocial recovery.
Over-seas Filipino workers encountering distress or emergency situations abroad may access assistance through the DMW AKSYON Fund under the UPLIFT Initiative by reaching out to the DMW Central Office, its regional branches or designated Migrant Workers Offices worldwide.