11 PH crew of bombed bulk carrier safe, unhurt

MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that all 11 Filipinos on board a bulk carrier bombed Thursday 50 miles south of Ukraine’s port city Odessa are safe.

Citing the personnel relations officer of the Marshall Islands-flagged Yasa Jupiter, “all crew members on board, including 11 Filipinos, were not hurt and are safe”.

The Filipinos have already gotten in touch with their families.

“The Philippine Embassy in Ankara and the Philippine Consulate General in Istanbul are jointly coordinating with Yasa Holding, the Turkish owner of the ship,” the DFA said in a statement on Saturday.

The three-year-old vessel arrived at a shipyard in Yalova, a province south of Istanbul, on Friday morning.

Reports citing the Turkish General Directorate of Maritime Affairs said the ship was hit when Russia began its assault on the eastern European nation.

“The ship has no request for help, is en route to Romanian waters, has no casualties and is safe,” the official posted on Twitter shortly after the bombing.

Initial reports from the Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator indicated significant damage to the deck and bridge area, probably from a projectile.

Japanese-owned cargo ship Namura Queen was also reportedly struck by a rocket off Ukraine in the Black Sea on Friday, injuring one of its 20 Filipino crew.