DFA Welcomes Home 354 Seafarers from US

PASAY City 15 April 2020 - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) welcomed home 354 Filipino seafarers from Miami, USA, who arrived today at 10:20 AM on a chartered Qatar Airways flight (QR 7485). The 354 were from cruise ships operated by Carnival Cruises and composed of 76 crew members of MV Ecstasy, 104 of MV Dream, 49 of MV Glory and 125 of MV Sunshine.

All the seafarers underwent thorough mandatory health inspection by the DOH - Bureau of Quarantine upon disembarkation. They will be subjected to 14-day facility quarantine in predetermined hotels approved by the DOH.

Carnival Cruises paid for the chartered flight while the ground transportation for the repatriates was provided by the United Philippines Lines (UPL), their manning agency.

In line with the whole-of-nation approach, this repatriation is a coordinated effort of DFA-OUMWA, the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, DOH, OWWA, with the assistance of the UPL. END

(Photo by DFA-OUMWA)