14 Pinoy seamen survive accident off Denmark

Fourteen Filipino seafarers who survived an accident off the coast of Agersoe, Denmark arrived in Manila last night.

The Philippine embassy in Stockholm, Sweden reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that the diplomatic mission facilitated the issuance of the necessary travel documents for the immediate return of 14 of the 16 seamen who survived the shipping accident last Wednesday.

Philippine ambassador to Sweden Victoria Bataclan said the 16 seafarers survived the shipping mishap when their cargo ship M/V Vertigo, sailing under the Danish flag, was involved in a collision at 1 a.m. Wednesday at the Great Belt off the coast of Agersoe, Denmark.

"The vessel sank within one hour after the collision. All the Filipino crew members are safe," Bataclan said.

The 14 Filipino seafarers who arrived last night on board Lufthansa flight LH-788 were Second Officer Dominador Unida; Third Engineer Joselito Cahigan; Ariel Lomugdang; bosun Aniceto Gusi; Able Seamen Dominador Velasco, Hannibal Tuñacao, Joselito Palal; Ordinary Seamen Ever Sajot and Edgardo Dimaculangan; oil workers Joseph Eden, Moises Zamorro and Ronaldo Trovela; and mess workers Amory Rasos and Woderick Zapata.

Chief cook Julius Castillo and wiper Romel Garcia are scheduled to arrive at a later date upon completion of their travel documents.

The DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs has asked the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to provide assistance to the seafarers upon their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and to inform the seafarers’ families that they are safe.

Danish shipping agency J. Poulsen has coordinated with the Philippine consulate general in Copenhagen and the Philippine embassy in Stockholm in arranging the seafarers’ travel documents and airline tickets.

The agency is represented in the Philippines by Medbulk Maritime Management Corp., which has offices in Malate, Manila.