MANILA - The Department of Migrant Workers aims to finish within two weeks its probe of shipowners and manning agencies over five vessel incidents involving Filipino seafarers.
The five-vessel investigation covers shipowners and licensed Philippine manning agencies linked to vessels carrying 98 Filipino seafarers: 16 aboard the Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker Sidr in the Strait of Hormuz and 82 aboard four vessels in the northern Black Sea.
Two Filipino seafarers were killed when Sidr was hit by unidentified projectiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Aug. 31.
The 14 surviving Filipino crew members arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on Tuesday evening after being evacuated from the Al Khasab area in Oman and flown through Dubai. Repatriation of the remains of the two fatalities was still being arranged.
The four northern Black Sea vessels were Gingo, with 26 Filipino seafarers; Nostos, with 23; Siren, with 21; and Chara, with 12. All four vessels had been attacked, according to the DMW. The vessels reached safe ports and all 82 Filipino seafarers were reported safe, with their return to the Philippines tentatively expected around Sept. 11 to 12.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said investigators will determine whether the companies complied with DMW requirements on safe transit, risk assessments and seafarers’ right to refuse sailing into dangerous waters.
A March 1 DMW advisory directs shipowners and licensed manning agencies to avoid routing vessels carrying Filipino seafarers through the Strait of Hormuz unless passage is absolutely necessary and backed by a comprehensive security risk assessment.
It also protects seafarers’ right to refuse sailing, request rerouting or decline high-risk assignments without prejudice.
For the northern Black Sea, the DMW has directed accredited shipowners and licensed manning agencies not to deploy Filipino seafarers aboard vessels proceeding to the area after government security assessments classified it as one of full-scale international armed conflict.
The directive followed earlier Black Sea attacks involving Filipino crews. Manning agencies found to have violated DMW rules could face licence suspension, fines or both, with the specific penalty depending on the investigation and adjudication.
The DMW is also awaiting fresh security assessments from the departments of Foreign Affairs and National Defense before deciding whether additional restrictions should apply to Filipino seafarers aboard vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
“Upon receipt of those security assessments, we will decide accordingly as to what our next steps to take with regards to our Filipino seafarers,” Cacdac said.
