The Families of 29 stranded seafarers on board the fishing vessels Han Rong (362, 366, 369) near the coast of China calls for the immediate rescue and repatriation of the crew. The seafarers have been abandoned by their employer the Global Marine and Offshore Resources Inc. and the Chinese principal: Jenn Yih Song Seafood LTD. They were left without food, clean water, and medicine. Their salaries and allotments were also unpaid for months. Their plight was brought to the attention of the Department of Foreign Affairs as early as August, 2021.
Last September 16th, the family members of the stranded crew along with the broad alliance SEANETWORK, Migrante International, Concerned Seafarers of the Philippines, AMIHAN and the National Council of Churches in the Philippines trooped to the Department of Foreign Affairs to demand their immediate rescue and repatriation. The DFA through Mr. Jose Cabrera III, SSA of the OUMWA DFA met with the families and stranded crew via ZOOM on September 20, 2021, that was organized by Migrante International, Mission to Seafarers, and the SEANETWORK. The DFA committed to provide food, water and medicine and to cause the repatriation of the crew before the end of the month.
The crew were very anxious when the repatriation by end of September did not push through. The SEANETWORK contacted the DFA for updates. On September 30, Mr. Jose Cabrera III of OUMWA DFA sent an email promising that the DFA would send food, clean water and medicine to the distressed seafarers and are arranging the repatriation of the crew. Up to this time, there is still no food, water and medicine and no clear plans for the repatriation of the distressed seafarers.
The other crewmembers who are Indonesian and Burmese have been repatriated by their own governments as early as June. Only the Filipinos remain stranded in the three Han Rong ships. They remain without food, clean water and medicines. As the company has virtually abandoned the crew and the Master of Han Rong 366 even threatened to put the Filipinos afloat in a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean, the lives and safety of the crew are in great peril. Even an earlier delivery of water for the Filipinos were blocked by the Chinese captain who confiscated the clean water. Even the SIM for phone communication of some of them were confiscated by the Chinese Captain.
Bring home the stranded crew of FV Han Rong 362, 366 and 369 now.
Listen to their voices and to that of their families.
Save our seafarers!
