SHIP, 21 REPORTED HURT
[PHOTO - A luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia leans on its side after running
aground the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Saturday (January 14, 2012),
sending water pouring in through a 160-foot (50-meter) gash in the hull and
forcing the evacuation of some 4,200 people from the listing vessel. GREGORIO BORGIA/ AP PHOTO]
MANILA, JANUARY 16, 2012 (INQUIRER)
By Jerry Esplanada - AT least two of the 300 Filipino crew members of the Costa
Concordia were among those reported injured when the cruise ship ran aground
last Friday off the coast of Grosetto in Tuscany, Italy, according to the
Philippine Embassy in Rome.
In a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Ambassador to
Italy Virgilio Reyes on Sunday said one of the seafarers had a broken arm while
another suffered from hypothermia.
Reyes did not identify the injured seamen.
But the envoy quoted a rescued Filipino crew member as having said "Filipino
crew members are generally safe."
"An official roll call (of the vessel's 1,000 crew) is still being
undertaken," Reyes said.
The embassy had "dispatched a seven-man emergency response team to Grosetto
to evaluate the situation on the ground and to provide the necessary assistance
to Philippine nationals."
"The Filipino seamen are being supported by Magsaysay Shipping Corp., their
(Manila-based) manning agency," according to the mission.
Initial reports reaching the embassy disclosed that the cruise ship ran
aground "last Friday evening off the coast of Grosetto."
"Around 4,000 persons were on board the vessel, including 4,000 crew members,
around 300 of whom are Filipinos," said the same reports.
"The Italian Coast Guard immediately responded to the scene to rescue the
passengers, who were brought to the nearest island, Giglio, in emergency life
boats. The passengers and Filipino crew members are temporarily housed at a
church, hotels and schools in Giglio. Many of them have been transported to the
mainland, The reports added.
FROM THE PHILSTAR
300 Pinoy crewmen on stricken Italian cruise ship
By Rainier Allan Ronda (The Philippine Star) Updated January 16, 2012
12:00 AM
[PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BOSTON.COM ONLINE - The luxury
cruise ship Costa Concordia leans on its side after running aground in the tiny
Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012. The luxury cruise ship
ran aground off the coast of Tuscany, sending water pouring in through a
160-foot (50-meter) gash in the hull and forcing the evacuation of some 4,200
people from the listing vessel early Saturday, the Italian coast guard said. The
number of dead and injured is not yet confirmed Coast Guard Cmdr. Francesco
Paolillo said. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)]
MANILA, Philippines - Three hundred Filipino crewmembers were aboard the
cruise ship Costa Concordia when it ran aground and keeled over off the coast of
Grosseto, Tuscany last Friday.
In a statement over the weekend, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Raul Hernandez
said at least 21 seafarers were reported injured, one with a broken arm and
another with hypothermia.
"A rescued Filipino crewmember said that the Filipinos are generally safe,"
he said, although he noted that an official roll call of crewmembers was still
being undertaken. Rescuers said three people had been confirmed killed.
The ship hit rocks and started to keel over late Friday on the western coast
of Italy as it began a Mediterranean cruise.
It was earlier reported that around 4,000 people were on board the vessel.
The ship had a crew of 1,000.
The Philippine embassy in Rome has dispatched a seven-man emergency response
team to assist Filipino victims.
In a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), ambassador to Rome
Virgilio Reyes Jr. said the team led by Consul General Grace Cruz-Fabella went
to Porto Sto. Stefano, where the victims were immediately brought in emergency
lifeboats.
The victims were temporarily housed in a church, in hotels and in schools at
the port of Giglio Island. Many have already been transported to the mainland.
Three Filipino crewmembers were reported confined in a hospital located in
Grosseto for injuries caused by falling from decks.
From Porto Stefano, where the passengers and crew were listed and given food,
they will be taken to Grosseto by bus. From there, there will be further
checking of documents and accounting of the crew and passengers.
They will then be transported to hotels in Genova and Savona where the Costa
Concordia have offices.
The Philippine embassy in Rome has also activated a "nerve center" to
coordinate the actions of the response team, receive feedback from Costa
Concordia officials, relevant managing agencies, and to report developments to
the DFA.
Recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani said the manning agency Magsaysay
Maritime Shipping Corp. that deployed the Filipino workers in the cruise ship,
should attend to their needs.
Magsaysay Maritime Shipping Corp. is the exclusive agent of Carnival Lines
that operate Costa Cruicere, an Italian Cruise company.
The Costa Concordia, a 1,500-cabin luxury vessel, is one of the largest ships
of Costa Cruises.
About 30 percent of the world's merchant seafarers come from the Philippines,
from sailors working in oil tankers that pass through pirate infested waters to
those employed in cruise ships. – With Rudy
Santos
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All
rights reserved
PHILIPPINE
HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
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