PCG: Settlement reached between kin of missing fishermen, MV Vienna Wood

A formal settlement has been reached between the Hong Kong-flagged MV Vienna Wood and the families of 14 Filipinos who went missing when the cargo vessel collided with their fishing boat in June, the Philippine Coast Guard said Monday.

According to the PCG, the meeting between the two camps started with the finalization of pending issues concerning the settlement of the civil case. Lawyers of the two camps came to a final agreement, which they shared to PCG chief Admiral George Ursabia and other Coast Guard officials as formal witnesses on the side of the government.

Ursabia said Nomikos Transworld Maritime, the owner of the foreign vessel, increased the amount of the compensation to the families of the missing Filipinos and to the Irma Fishing and Trading Corporation, the owner of the fishing boat, FV Liberty 5.

“Alam naman natin na priceless ang buhay ng tao, pero hindi natin inaasahan na mangyayari ito. [MV] Vienna Wood was very generous to compensate the owner and the affected families na totoong kailangan ng financial assistance. Sa halagang napagkasunduan, it will go a long way,” Ursabia said.

Initially, the kin of the 14 missing Filipinos—12 fishermen and two other passengers—were set to receive compensations amounting to P1 million each from MV Vienna Wood.

On the other hand, the Irma Fishing and Trading Corporation was set to receive a settlement amount of P40 million from MV Vienna Wood to cover the cost of the distressed fishing vessel.

Ursabia said the lawyers decided not to disclose the exact settlement amount, but said that the amount was highly acceptable to the victims.

Ursabia said the PCG will continue to pursue the criminal case filed against MV Vienna Wood and will respect the final decision of the court.

The collision happened at 10:20 p.m. of June 27 off Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro.

The search and retrieval operations formally ended on July 7.

Criminal complaints had been lodged against the shipping company, the master, and the officers of the foreign vessel. A hold departure order was also issued against the crew to ensure that MV Vienna Wood's bulk carrier will remain in the Philippines' custody. — BM, GMA News