17 Pinoy seafarers safely evacuated from burning container ship in Halifax

Seventeen Filipino crew members who were on board a burning container ship in Halifax, Nova Scotia have been "safely" been evacuated and are now in the process of returning to the Philippines, the Philippine Embassy in Canada reported on Wednesday.

According to a post on the Embassy's Facebook page, the container ship Yantian Express reportedly caught fire about 1,900 kilometers southwest of Halifax last January 3. Rescue tugboats were able to evacuate 22 crew members from the burning vessel.

The post said all 17 of the Filipino seafarers "arrived safely" in Halifax.

Philippine Vice Consul in Halifax Elizabeth Eustaquio-Domondon reported that they were in "high spirits" and were "being assisted by their fleet manager for their return to the Philippines" as of the posting. 

The post added that they also met members of the Filipino community in Halifax, who provided them with food and other necessities.—LDF, GMA New