14 Pinoy seafarers of tanker attacked in Strait of Hormuz back in PH

Fourteen Filipino seafarers who were on board the Saudi-flagged oil tanker Sidr sailing on the Strait of Hormuz when it was attacked on August 31 arrived safely back in Manila on Tuesday night.

The seafarers were met by officials of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), according to a report by Gabriel Gonzales on Unang Balita on Wednesday.

"Ang importante sa atin ay 'yung kanilang pag-reunite sa kanilang mga pamilya at siguraduhin na itong mga susunod na araw, meron silang makakausap, meron silang medical intervention, psychosocial counseling," OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said.

(What is important for us is they are reunited with their families and they have someone to talk to, they are given medical intervention and psychosocial counseling in the next few days.)

"Alam natin na halos dalawang libong tripulanteng Pilipino na ang naka-exit sa Strait of Hormuz. At siguro, 'yan ang kanilang sinasandalan na inaasahan na makakalabas sila ng ligtas. However, hindi inaasahaan itong atake sa kanilang barko," DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said.

(We know that almost 2,000 Filipino seafarers were able to exit the Strait of Hormuz. So maybe they [the seafarers on board the Saudi-flagged oil tanker] were also hoping to exit safely. However, the attack on their vessel was not expected.)

Cacdac said the DMW will investigate the seafarers' manning agency if it violated their right to refuse to sail to high risk areas.

"We will look into whether the manning agency complied with the regulations," Cacdac said, adding that there will be penalties if there are violations.

The DMW meanwhile is arranging to repatriate the remains of two Filipino seafarers on board the same Saudi-flagged oil tanker Sidr who passed away.

Cacdac said they are looking into bringing their remains back to the Philippines within a week.

"Unknown projectiles" hit the cargo tanker Sidr as it was about to cross the Strait of Hormuz last August 31, the DMW earlier said. The tanker caught fire.

Based on the DMW’s initial information, the tanker had come from the east coast of the United Arab Emirates and appeared to be heading toward the Strait of Hormuz when it was attacked off the coast of Oman.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. ordered concerned agencies to provide necessary assistance to the bereaved family members of the two Filipino seafarers who were killed.

The manning agency meanwhile vowed to cooperate with authorities to bring back their remains, although it has yet to address why the crewmen were sent there in the first place.

In a statement on its Facebook account late Thursday night, Jebsen PTC said it mourned the loss of the two Filipino seafarers who were aboard the Saudi Arabian-flagged oil tanker Sidr when it was crossing the Hormuz strait. They are coordinating the matter with the shipowner Bahri.

"We are working closely with Bahri and liaising with the Department of Migrant Workers, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and relevant authorities to facilitate the repatriation formalities and help bring their loved ones home as soon as possible," Jebsen PTC said in a statement.

One of the slain Filipino seafarers was Rodrigo "Rod" Favis, 28.

His family said it was not in Rod's contract to go to the Strait of Hormuz. Rod only found out about their destination when he was already onboard the vessel, after being told by fellow crew members. A separate statement from his family said the original route was only in Europe—not the Strait. —Reuters