17 captive seafarers back home, to undergo stress debriefing

Metro Manila, Philippines - Seventeen Filipino crew members of a Japanese cargo ship held hostage by Houthi rebels in Yemen are home safe, ending more than a year of captivity at sea.

The seafarers arrived via Oman Air Flight OMA 843 on Thursday night, Jan. 23 and were welcomed by their families and heads of different government agencies.

“It gives us a sense of relief and gratitude to welcome our kababayans [countrymen] after their ordeal, so we are very happy,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo told NewsWatch Plus in a post-arrival interview.

The seafarers and their families boarded buses provided by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and headed to their accommodations in Metro Manila.

Philippine Ambassador to Oman Raul Hernandez said ceasefire between Israel and militant group Hamas triggered the quick release of the seafarers from MV Galaxy Leader. They spent 428 days in captivity.

“Immediately we collected our seafarers and brought them to Muscat and from there the embassy took over and immediately we booked them for this flight,” said.

The Department of Migrant Workers said the seafarers will be given assistance.

“First and foremost the continuous payment of allotments will be doubled, in this case all throughout the 428 days financial assistance to families and we will do so again under the Aksyon funds and third medical assistance to families," said DMW chief Hans Cacdac.

The Department of Health said it will also offer medical and psychosocial assistance to the overseas workers.

“We heard some of them symptomatic po for some infections not serious but a lot of things happened in 428 days,” said Health spokesperson Albert Domingo.

“From the medical, inaalagaan natin yung ating [we are taking care of our] mental and psychosocial at ayaw natin na magkaroon sila ng [and we don’t want them to suffer from] post traumatic disorder,” he added.