20 Pinoy seafarers rescued from Japan tsunami arrive in Manila

Twenty Filipino seafarers who were trapped and eventually rescued from a tsunami that hit Japan last March 11 arrived home Wednesday night, nearly a week after their ordeal. The 20 seafarers, all of the MV Coral Ring , arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), radio dzBB reported early Thursday. Ericson Marquez, a spokesman for the seafarers' manning agency, said the seafarers will be brought to a hotel to spend the night, then undergo a medical checkup on Thursday. But many of the seafarers said they plan to go back to serving on ships soonest, the dzBB report said. A separate report on dwIZ radio said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration will give the 20 seafarers stress debriefing sessions and assistance. An earlier news release of the Department of Foreign Affairs identified the 20 as:

* Rodolfo Ador Lanutan * Nelson Victoria * Robert Pastoriza * Mark Guiritan * Arnulfo Alcantara * Alan Delantar * Rafael Macalindog * Hope Benedicto * Niceta Matalines * Dennis Chan * Efren Nervida * Gilbert Maramag * Dennis Biscocho * Michael Aspa * Roberto Ochia * Joemel Dasmarinas * Cesar Lili * Paulino Tinoy, Jr. * Alexander Coronel * Nemie Simera.

The DFA said the Philippine Embassy provided travel documents for 16 of the seafarers, as they lost their passports during the tsunami. "The MV Coral Ring was at the Onahama Port in Fukushima when the earthquake and tsunami struck. Their vessel hit the berth and suffered damage which immobilized the vessel. The crew was rescued by the Japanese Coast Guard vessel MV Azuma," the DFA said. It added the seafarers stayed at the Spa Hotel in Fukushima, which was arranged by the prefectural government, before they were transported by bus to Narita. — LBG, GMA News