Top Adsense

MV Athens Bridge from India - 12 out of 21 Filipino Crew Members Tested Positive for Covid-19

MV Athens Bridge from India


JUST IN!


A Filipino crew member / seaman of MV Athen Bridge found with B.1.167 (India Coronavirus variant) died on May 21 - DOH Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire said.


_______________

Crew members in critical condition brought to medical facility. Rest of the crew are still in vessel & provided w/ needed medical supplies, oxygen tanks, according to MARINA.

The vessel, which flies the flag of Panama, has secured clearance from the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) and the Department of Health on Thursday and was directed to its quarantine anchorage area by the port.

"Early evening of the same day, BOQ doctors boarded the vessel to assess the condition of the crew and recommended the immediate medical evacuation of two crew members in critical condition,” the DOTr said.


MV Athens Bridge sent request to PH Coast Guard yesterday, May 6, to execute a medical evacuation of the 2 crew members who are in critical condition.

Two crew members of MV Athens Bridge from India, who were in critical condition, were brought to a medical facility in Manila


Two crew members of MV Athens Bridge from India, who were in critical condition, were brought to a medical facility in Manila on May 6.

The vessel departed from India on April 22 and arrived in Vietnam on May 1 for an RT-PCR test. Of the 21 Filipino crew members on board, 12 tested positive for COVID-19. While two were sent to a medical facility, the rest are still in the vessel and were given medical supplies such as oxygen tanks.

Two crew members of MV Athens Bridge from India, who were in critical condition, were brought to a medical facility in Manila



The maritime sector of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), consisting of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), together with the agency members of the One-Stop Shop (OSS) Port of Manila, are currently in full force in assisting all Filipino crew members aboard a COVID-19 positive vessel “MV Athens Bridge” from India. 

The vessel was directed to quarantine anchorage area designated by the OSS Port of Manila. 
The vessel was located 12 nautical miles west of Corregidor island at the time.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has also provided security to ensure that no unauthorized vessels or bancas would approach the MV Athens Bridge.

According to the vessel’s shipping agent, MV Athens Bridge departed from India on 22 April 2021 and arrived in Haiphong, Vietnam on 01 May 2021 for the conduct of the crew’s RT-PCR test. It was later on found that out of the 21 Filipino crew members onboard, 12 of them tested positive of COVID-19. 

On 06 May 2021, the PCG received a request from the vessel’s captain to execute a medical evacuation of the two (2) crew members who both needed urgent medical care. The vessel, at that time, was located 12 nautical miles west of Corregidor Island.

Upon securing clearance from the BOQ and the Department of Health (DOH), MV Athens Bridge was directed to the quarantine anchorage area designated by the OSS Port of Manila. Security is also provided by the PCG to ensure that no unauthorized vessel or banca will approach the vessel.

Early evening of the same day, BOQ doctors boarded the vessel to assess the condition of the crew and recommended the immediate medical evacuation of two (2) crew members in critical condition. 
As of press time, the crew members in critical condition have been safely evacuated and brought to the dedicated medical facility for treatment. The rest of the crew are contained in the vessel and shall be provided with needed medical supplies, including oxygen tanks, with assistance from BOQ and PCG. 


“The national government, through the maritime sector of the DOTr, assures that the situation and the condition of the crew members will be consistently monitored. Health and safety protocols will also be prioritized throughout the entire process,” the DOTr said.


WATCH: Capt Jeffrey P Solon, representing the MARINA Office of the Deputy Administrator for Planning (ODAP), further explains the details surrounding the current situation of the vessel MV Athens Bridge. 



Interview starts at 1:11:20 


📷MARINA



DOTr Maritime Sector continues to extend aid to 21 affected Filipino seafarers onboard MV Athens Bridge

MV Athens Bridge



MANILA – The national government, through the maritime sector of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), consisting of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Office for Transportation Security (OTS), and other agency members of the One-Stop-Shop (OSS) Port of Manila, continues to extend its aid to the 21 Filipino crew members who were aboard the vessel MV “Athens Bridge”, which came from India. 
The affected seafarers were promptly evacuated from the ship last Friday, 07 May 2021, after the PCG was informed of the critical state of the two (2) Filipino seafarers who needed urgent medical attention. 

All 12 Filipino crew members who tested positive for COVID-19 have been extracted from the vessel and transferred to their BOQ-assigned facilities. Four (4) seafarers, including the two (2) that were reported to be in critical condition, have been hospitalized and are receiving appropriate medical treatment. The remaining eight (😎 crew, who are currently staying in a quarantine facility monitored by the BOQ, are in stable condition. 

Meanwhile, the nine (9) crew members who tested negative will remain on the ship until the replacement crew is scheduled to board the vessel on 14 May 2021. MV “Athens Bridge” will be thoroughly disinfected before the boarding of the on signers. 

On 12 May 2021, the MARINA expedited the processing of the issuance of Certificates of Proficiency (COPs) of five (5) on signers or replacement crew for the said vessel.

The BOQ reported that the COVID-19 specimen that has been collected from the crew members has already been submitted to the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) to identify the COVID-19 variant that has caused their infection. The results from the laboratory are estimated to arrive within three weeks.

Presently, the vessel MV “Athens Bridge” remains at the quarantine anchorage area, where it is well-guarded by designated personnel from the PCG. Meanwhile, the BOQ personnel present during the disembarkation, and other individuals with possible exposure have been placed under quarantine as part of the measures taken to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus. 

The maritime sector of the DOTr urges its stakeholders to exercise and promote strict health protocols during shipping operations and to closely follow established quarantine measures, as a way to deter the possible transmission of the COVID-19 disease among seafarers.

The Philippine government assures the public that it will continue to manage the situation through the initiatives of various agencies under the maritime sector, ensuring the health and welfare of the crew members involved. Additionally, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will be providing assistance to the 21 seafarers together with the MARINO Party-list which has also pledged to extend its support. 


No comments:

Got Something to Say? Thoughts? Additional Information?

Powered by Blogger.