Twenty-two Filipino seafarers returned safely to the Philippines on August 30, 2026, after being repatriated from the Black Sea region following a missile attack on their vessel while berthed in Chornomorsk, Ukraine.

The crew arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 aboard Turkish Airlines Flight TK084 and was welcomed by officials from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and the Manila International Airport Authority Medical Team. The seafarers also received financial assistance through the DMW AKSYON Fund under the government’s UPLIFT initiative.

The Filipino crew members were serving aboard the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier M/V Antonia S when the vessel was struck by a missile on August 19. Local authorities immediately evacuated them to a designated shelter inside Chornomorsk Port while arrangements were made for their temporary accommodation and eventual repatriation.

DMW Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary for Sea-Based OFW Concerns Augusto B. San Diego III reminded seafarers of their right to refuse to sail when conditions pose a serious threat to their safety. The returning crew will also undergo medical and psychological assessments arranged by their licensed manning agency to address their physical and psychosocial needs following the incident.