The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday confirmed that a total of 12 Filipinos composed of 11 seafarers and one household worker are missing following the powerful blast that struck the Port of Beirut and left at least 100 people dead.
DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sara Lou Arriola said the Philippine Embassy in Lebanon is now in touch with local authorities to locate and secure the safety of the missing Filipinos.
Aside from the 12 missing Filipinos, Arriola also confirmed the death of two household workers and the eight others who were injured, one of them in “critical but stable condition.”
The DFA official said the 11 missing seafarers were among the 13 Filipinos who were onboard MV Orient Queen, a cruise ship docked some 400 meters away from the blast zone.
Two of the 13 seafarers were rescued and brought to the hospital with minor injuries. They are now recuperating at the Philippine Embassy chancery in the Lebanese capital.
“Their ship was docked about 400 meters away from the shore when the shockwave came as a result of the blast. They all decided to jump into the water thinking that the ship would sink,” Arriola said, quoting the narration of the two rescued Filipino seafarers.
She said the numbers they are getting are “initial figures” as the Embassy is still conducting an assessment on overwhelming conditions on the ground and conducting consultations with the Filipino community in Beirut.
As of today, Arriola said there are nearly 32,000 Filipinos in Lebanon, many of them are undocumented and working as domestic helpers.
The DFA official said they are also working to include the remains of the two OFWs who perished in the blast in the next repatriation flight for 230 distressed and stranded Filipinos this weekend or until next week, depending on the ground situation and the issuance of necessary permits from the Lebanese authorities.
"We will give all the support that we can give," she said.