Fifty-two seafarers from Ukraine arrived in the Philippines on Saturday evening after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) mandated evacuations there due to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict.
DFA Undersecretary Sarah Arriola said that the seafarers were crew members from MV Star Laura, MV Rio Grande, and MV Bonita, who arrived at the airports in Manila and Clark in Pampanga.
"Seafarers from Ukraine continue arriving in Manila following the Alert Level 4 declaration that prompted mandatory repatriation. Yesterday evening, some 52 seafarers of MV Star Laura, MV Rio Grande, and MV Bonita arrived in Manila and Clark airports," said the undersecretary on a tweet.
The arrival of the seafarers come after the declaration of Alert Level 4 in Ukraine due to the "deteriorating security situation that threatens the safety of Filipinos in that country."
Alert Level 4 required mandatory repatriation of Filipinos in Ukraine, with the evacuation overseen by the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw.
The 52 repatriated seafarers from Ukraine were added to the 63 Filipinos already evacuated to the Philippines as of March 9.
