MANILA — Twenty-one Filipino seafarers rescued from an attack by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea are expected to arrive in Manila on Monday afternoon. In a concurrent repatriation effort, the bodies of three Filipino workers who perished in a recent fire in Kuwait will also be returned home on the same day.
According to Philippines News Agency, the seafarers were safely extracted by a United States Navy ship and reached the Port of Manama, Bahrain, on Saturday evening. They were received by Philippine Ambassador to Bahrain, Anne Jalando-on Louis, and boarded a flight home on Sunday evening. The sailors have undergone stress debriefing and medical checkups and are accompanied by DMW Labor Attaché Hector Cruz. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had previously directed all relevant agencies to ensure the safety and prompt return of these nationals.
Meanwhile, the repatriation of the remains of three workers who died in a fire in their apartment in al-Mangaf, Kuwait, also on June 12, has been expedited following President Marcos’s orders. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has stated that it is coordinating with the victims' families to process necessary documents and ensure a smooth turnover of the remains, while providing the necessary support to the bereaved families.