MANILA, Philippines — Seventeen Filipino seafarers returned to Manila after their vessels were damaged by unidentiied projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on Oct. 9, 2026, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Saturday.
The group consisted of 16 crew members of the M/V Kazimah III and one crew member of the M/V Sinbad. They arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 aboard Emirates flight EK 334 and Etihad Airways flight EY 446.
DMW Officer-in-Charge Augusto San Diego III, concurrent assistant secretary for Sea-Based OFW Concerns, along with representatives of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Manila International Airport Authority Medical Team, met the seafarers.
Representatives of their manning agencies, Pacific Asia Shipping Corporation and Anglo-Eastern Crew Management Inc., were also present to receive the returning crew members and provide assistance.
According to the DMW, the department and OWWA directed the manning agencies to ensure that the seafarers undergo physical and psychological assessments, as well as debriefing sessions if necessary.
The DMW urged licensed manning agencies and their principals to monitor the safety of Filipino seafarers aboard vessels, particularly those operating along high-risk routes. It also emphasized compliance with safety precautions and existing protocols for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
