MANILA, Philippines– Nine Filipino seafarers who Houthi rebels in Yemen held hostage, along with the remains of a fellow Filipino mariner who died during the incident, arrived in the Philippines on Thursday night at around 9:30 p.m. on a flight that landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1 in Manila.
Officials from the Department of Migrant Workers and other government agencies received them after their release and repatriation just days before Christmas.
Authorities from the Department of Migrant Workers coordinated with other Philippine government agencies and foreign partners to secure the release of the nine Filipino seafarers from Houthi custody in Yemen.
Officials transported the remains of the deceased Filipino seafarer on the same flight as the survivors and turned them over to the appropriate authorities upon arrival at Naia.
Government personnel escorted the seafarers from the aircraft upon landing and brought them to a designated area in Naia Terminal 1 for formal processing and initial debriefing.
Officials arranged medical checkups for the seafarers at Naia to assess their physical condition following their release from captivity.
Authorities also prepared psychosocial support services for the seafarers to address any trauma they experienced during their detention in Yemen.
The Department of Migrant Workers notified the seafarers’ families of the flight details in advance and coordinated their meeting at Naia Terminal 1.