Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Hjayceelyn M. Quintana oversaw the repatriation this morning of the first batch of Filipino crew members who have been stranded for six (6) weeks aboard three (3) Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings Ltd (NCL) cruise ships, Norwegian Jade, Nautica and Voyager docked in Port Zayed in Abu Dhabi and Port Rashid in Dubai. NCL chartered two (2) Emirates Airlines flights that carried 207 this morning and another 208 will be taking the second flight tomorrow.
Amb. Quintana thanked UAE authorities for assisting the Embassy in ensuring that these Filipino seafarers arrive home safely by allowing two (2) special flights to leave for Manila despite flight suspension still being in effect.
The Department of Health Bureau of Quarantine will ensure that upon arrival, they will undergo proper screening procedures. Representatives from DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) and counterparts from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), will meet them upon their arrival in Manila.
Together with the Ambassador at the airport were officials from POLO (Philippine Overseas Labor Office) Dubai and OWWA Abu Dhabi.
Inputs from The Philippine Embassy in UAE.
