THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed Thursday, November 9, 2023, that three Filipino seafarers were hurt when a Russian missile hit a civilian vessel in the Black Sea.
But DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said the three injured Filipinos, the ship’s captain, an engine trainee and a third mate, were already out of danger.
He said the engine trainee sustained the worst injury among the three Filipinos as he had a fracture in his left hand.
“Ang ulat na natanggap namin ay out of harm’s way at out of danger ‘yung tatlong tripulante natin,” Cacdac said.
(The report we received was that our three crew members were out of harm's way and out of danger.)
He said coordination is already underway to know if the Filipino seafarers affected by the incident want to be repatriated.
The Liberia-flagged vessel, which was then transporting iron ore to China, was hit by the Russian missile while entering a Black Sea port in Odesa region.
One person died due to the incident, while a port employee was wounded. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)