Another Batch of Filipino Crew Members of AIDA Cruises Return to PH

Filipino crewmembers prepare to depart via chartered flight at Hamburg International airport. (Berlin PE photo)

BERLIN 17 June 2020 – Another batch of 214 Filipino crew members of AIDA Cruises departed from Hamburg, Germany on 14 June 2020 via a chartered TUI Netherlands flight, and arrived back home to the Philippines on 15 June 2020.

The said seafarers had been awaiting their repatriation after cruise trips were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic starting in March.

The Filipino crew members, part of several thousand AIDA Cruises employees of different nationalities, were assisted at the send-off by Philippine Ambassador to Germany Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Welfare Officer Sylvia Gabriel, and Philippine Embassy staff members Renante Estrella and Vieto Pilapil.

The crew members expressed their hope that cruise operations would gradually be resumed by German maritime companies. To date, over 2,500 Filipino crewmembers have been repatriated from Germany.

Before boarding, the repatriates were provided with information on how to avail of the DOLE-AKAP or Social Amelioration Fund and also the Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay Livelihood Assistance Program of Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA). END

Philippine Ambassador to Germany Theresa Dizon-De Vega provides reminders to a group of seafarers. (Berlin PE photo)

Philippine Ambassador to Germany Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Welfare Officer Sylvia Gabriel, and Security Officer of AIDA Cruises Florence Guieb confer on arrangements. (Berlin PE photo)

Filipino crew members check-in at Hamburg International Airport. (Berlin PE photo)

Philippine Ambassador to Germany Theresa Dizon-De Vega and Welfare Officer Sylvia Gabriel with Filipino crew members eager to return to the Philippines. (Berlin PE photo)

For more information, visit  https://www.berlinpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassy.de,  or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGermany.