21 Filipino seafarers on rocket-hit vessel plead for assistance

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — 21 Filipino crewmembers of a cargo ship that was hit by rocket fire Friday night off Ukraine have asked the Philippine government to help them return to the country.

Relatives of one of the 21 Filipino crewmembers of M/V Namura Queen told reporters yesterday through Messenger that they decided, along with their captain, to sail towards Romania after the incident.

Another cargo vessel, Yasa Jupiter with 11 Filipino crewmembers, was reportedly on its way to a shipyard in Turkey after it was hit by a bomb in Ukraine’s port city of Odessa on Thursday.

No Filipino was hurt in Thursday’s bomb attack, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

One of those contacted by the Filipino crew of M/V Namura Queen is a relative of a broadcast journalist based in Zamboanga City.

“We have left Ukraine. We are sailing slowly towards Romania. We are alright here for now because we have enough food supplies,” the unnamed crew told relatives in Zamboanga City in the local dialect.

They also sent to relatives photos of the damage caused by the rocket blast.

The sailors requested their relatives in Mindanao to urge the Philippine government to keep track of them while their ship is en route to Romania. It is not clear when they expect to reach their destination.

The DFA meanwhile said the Philippine embassy in Ankara and the Philippine consulate general in Istanbul are jointly coordinating with Yasa Holding regarding assistance to the Filipino crew of the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Yasa Jupiter.

“The Filipino crewmembers have already contacted their families in the Philippines,” the DFA said, citing information from Yasa Holding. — Janvic Mateo