The 21 Filipino crew members of M/V S-Breeze from Ukraine will be arriving home on March 8 via Philippine Airlines PR659 at 0830H, made possible through the efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Budapest and the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Moldova.

The seafarers were able to enter Moldova from Ukraine. From Chisinau, the Filipinos were transported to Romania where they arrived early on March 4.

The group was evacuated from the M/V S-Breeze, a bulk carrier that has been on drydock for repairs at the Ilyichevsk Ship Yard in Port of Odessa, Ukraine since January 27.

The DFA also confirms that another group of seafarers, specifically 13 out of the 31 crew members of Star Helena, crossed the Moldova border on 03 March and were successfully evacuated from Chornomorsk through the Honorary Consul in Moldova. They are awaiting their eventual repatriation. OPCD - Media and Public Affairs Division