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Thursday, March 04, 2004
Not 1 but 2 Cebu sailors lost
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
PRESIDENT Arroyo has reportedly asked the US Government to continue the search for the missing 18 Filipino seamen on board the tanker that exploded in the waters off Virginia, USA last Saturday.
Sun.Star also learned yesterday that there are two Cebuanos in the 27-member crew of the Bow Mariner, a Singapore-based tanker managed by a Greek company, Ceres Hellenic Shipping Enterprises Ltd., which carried 24 Filipinos and three Greeks.
Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) said they are still waiting for an official report from the US before they release any information about the missing seamen.
Teresa Castaño, the sister of apprentice Samuel Jr. of Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City, said they learned from representatives of her brother’s employer Magsaysay Maritime Corp. that one of the missing crewmembers is from Carcar, Cebu.
Confirmation
A representative of Magsaysay Maritime Corp. in Manila confirmed, in a phone interview yesterday, that Alaric Cesar is also one of those still missing but refused to give further details on their employee.
Teresa said a relative had also learned from media reports that Arroyo already asked the US Government not to stop the search operations, which were called off last Monday due to the severe cold.
Last Tuesday, the Castaños appealed to Arroyo for help in frustration that they could not get any information on Samuel Jr.’s whereabouts from government agencies.
Warlita, Samuel Jr.’s mother, said that as of yesterday, they learned that there were only six Filipino survivors and rescuers recovered two bodies that were charred beyond recognition.
She hopes that her son’s personal belongings, most of which bear his name, will be among the debris that will be recovered.
Merly Boroganan of DFA 7 said that after they met with the Castaños last Monday, they immediately sent communication to the Philippine Embassy in Washington and New York to give them word on what happened to the Filipino seamen.
Repatriation
Owwa Deputy Administrator Milagros Her-nandez also said the six survivors will be repatriated soon.
(March 4, 2004 issue)
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