668 Seafarers’ Arrival Breaches 13,000-mark of Distressed Repatriates due to COVID-19

PASAY CITY 13 April 2020 - The wave of repatriations continues as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) welcomed 668 seafarers midday, which breached the 13, 000-mark of repatriates displaced by the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

This is the second of three batches of repatriates due to arrive today at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Together with the DFA, representatives from the Bureau of Quarantine, Bureau of Immigration, Philippine National Police and local manning agency (LMA) Magsaysay, greeted the 228 seafarers from Costa Fascinosa at the tarmac, where they were fetched and directly transported to their designated quarantine facility after undergoing quarantine protocols.

Meanwhile, another 440 seafarers from Norwegian Getaway were assisted by LMA CF Sharp, which provided their onward transportation as the repatriates subject themselves to home-based quarantine.

The Philippine Embassies in Brasilia and Washington D.C. facilitated this batch’s repatriation. Both groups were transported via chartered flights paid accordingly by their cruise companies, Costa Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Two groups comprising 252 seafarers is expected to arrive later in the afternoon. END

(Photos by DFA-OUMWA)