The death toll among Filipino seafarers caught in the escalating conflict in the Black Sea has risen to three, intensifying concerns over why hundreds of Filipino mariners remain exposed to one of the world’s most dangerous maritime zones.
The Department of Migrant Workers confirmed on Saturday that another Filipino crew member had died following attacks in the northern Black Sea, where fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues to threaten commercial vessels and their crews.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said 236 Filipino seafarers aboard 17 ships have been affected by the hostilities. Aside from the three fatalities, 15 Filipinos were injured and one remains missing. The remaining 217 have been reported safe.
“We are reporting another death. Three of our countrymen have now died in the northern Black Sea attacks,” Cacdac said during a media forum in Quezon City.
The circumstances and exact date of the third seafarer’s death were not immediately disclosed.
The latest fatality comes less than two weeks after authorities reported that two Filipino seafarers were killed and 12 others were injured in separate drone attacks in southern Ukraine. The first death occurred on July 6, while the second Filipino seafarer was killed on July 19.
Cacdac said he had personally visited the grieving families to extend the government’s condolences and coordinate financial aid and other forms of assistance.
Race to Bring Filipino Crews Home
Of the 236 affected Filipino seafarers, 89 have already been repatriated. Nine of the 15 injured crew members have also returned to the Philippines.
Other Filipino mariners remain in Ukraine, Romania, Greece and Turkey as government agencies continue evacuation and repatriation efforts.
The DMW has ordered manning agencies and ship owners to immediately bring home Filipino crew members assigned to ships that have been attacked.
It also directed companies to move Filipino seafarers still operating in the northern Black Sea to safer locations and to avoid deploying Filipino crews to the area while the conflict continues.
The warning followed security assessments from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of National Defense, which classified the situation as a full-scale international armed conflict.
The DMW said its existing high-risk advisory for the Black Sea remains in force and will be reinforced following the deaths and injuries involving Filipino seafarers.
Questions Over Continued Deployment
The mounting casualties have placed renewed scrutiny on shipping companies and manning agencies that continue sending Filipino workers into areas threatened by drones, missiles and military operations.
Despite the long-standing high-risk warning, hundreds of Filipino seafarers were still aboard vessels operating in or near the conflict zone when the attacks occurred.
The latest death underscores the dangers faced by Filipino maritime workers, many of whom continue sailing through hostile waters to support their families back home.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had earlier ordered the DMW and other concerned government agencies to provide all available assistance to the families of the Filipino seafarers killed in the attacks.
As repatriation operations continue, the government now faces growing pressure to ensure that no more Filipino seafarers are sent into the Black Sea while the war remains active.
