On August 15, twenty-one Filipino seafarers returned to Manila after facing various maritime incidents and security threats involving three different vessels, as reported by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). This group comprised three crew members from the M/V Abu Al Abyad, seven from the M/V En Ocean, and eleven from the M/V Europe I.
The seafarers aboard the M/V Abu Al Abyad were repatriated following projectile attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the crew of the M/V En Ocean returned home after their vessel experienced a breakdown and was abandoned in Malaysia. The eleven members from the M/V Europe I disembarked before their ship’s planned transit through high-risk areas in the northern Black Sea.
Upon their arrival, the returning seafarers received financial and airport assistance from the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). Medical teams conducted initial health assessments to ensure their well-being. DMW OIC-Assistant Secretary Augusto San Diego III assured the seafarers that government programs would support their recovery and reintegration.
The DMW and OWWA also instructed the relevant manning agencies to facilitate physical and psychological assessments for the crew, ensuring that they receive all necessary benefits and compensation. One returning seafarer emphasized the importance of government intervention in avoiding exposure to ongoing conflicts during their voyages.
