Bodies of 2 Pinoys killed in Japan ship collision home next week

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported yesterday that the agency is arranging the repatriation next week of the remains of two Filipino crewmen of the ill-fated MV Gold Leader who were killed after their ship collided with two other vessels at the Akashi Channel off Kobe, Japan last Wednesday.

The Philippine Consulate General in Osaka reported to the DFA that all five Filipino seamen rescued by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) are now in good condition and have been discharged from the hospital.

Consul General Maria Lourdes Lopez said the five seamen remain in the care of JCG, undergoing routine procedures related to investigation into the three-ship collision.

Lopez also met with William Han, president of the Korean company that owns MV Gold Leader, who visited the survivors.

Han assured the victims that the company would shoulder all medical and repatriation costs and provide the benefits due to the Filipino sailors and their families.

JCG is continuing the search for the two other Filipino seamen who remained missing.

The body of a second Filipino fatality from the collision was recovered by the JCG on Thursday.

JCG had deployed four airplanes and 16 vessels to join the search and rescue operations.

Nine Filipino crewmen were on board the MV Gold Leader when the vessel collided with MV Daigo Eisei Maru and MV Ocean Phoenix. – Pia Lee-Brago