Aegean Wind on fire (photo by www.newsbizarre.com)

(29 Dec. 2009) The Philppine Embassy in Athens and in Venezuela  are now arranging for the remains of  the six Filipino crewmembers of the ill-fated Aegean Wind to be transported to Athens enroute to Manila,  Ambassador Rigoberto Tiglao reported.  While no firm schedule for the transport could be determined, as the required clearances from the Greek and Venezuelan authorities need to be acquired, Tiglao estimated that the remains of the Filipino crew will be home within the next several days.

The six Filipinos killed in the fire on board the Greek bulk carrier ships are as follows:

• Bonifacio Vallescas, Jr.
• Danilo Esparagoza;
• Jerry Espanola;
• Bryan Rey Pragamac;
• Noel Lagamon; and
• Reo Aria

 The Philippine Embassy in Athnes extends its deepest condolences to the families of the six Filipino crewmen killed in this most tragic event.

(26 Dec. 2009) The Embassy reported today to Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto G. Romulo that the Greek-flagged bulk carrier ship Aegean Wind caught fire off the coast of Venezuela at dawn on 25 December 2009, resulting in the deaths of six Filipino and three Greek sailors.

 The ship had 24 sailors on board, 15 of which are Filipinos. From information provided by the Hellenic Coast Guard and Venezuelan authorities, three Filipino sailors were immediately found dead, together with three Greek seamen.  

Three other Filipino sailors earlier reported as missing were presumed dead by representatives of the ship’s management a few hours ago. There were earlier hopes that these crew members may have gone overboard to escape the fire

The Embassy explained that the Department of Foreign Affairs ,  the Philippine Overseas Employment Authority, and the ship’s manning agency in Manila,  Sea Power Shipping Enterprises Inc. are in the process of communicating with the immediate relatives of those killed.

Two other Filipino sailors, suffered burns and have been transferred by helicopter to the Margarita Island in Venezuela for treatment.

The fire had been extinguished and the rest of the Filipinos are safe on board waiting to be transferred to safe harbour.

Rafael Lugo, commander of Venezuela’s maritime support and rescue agency said the fire began in the engine room and spread to the crew’s cabins on the bridge of the Aegean Wind.

Atlantic Bulk Carrier Management spokeswoman Elise Goonen said the crew members were in the mess hall when the fire started.  The bodies of the dead sailors were found by their crewmates “in various sections” of the ship.

The Aegean Wind, built in 1983, has a 24-member crew made up of 15 Filipinos and nine Greeks. It is owned by Atlantic Bulk Carriers, based in the Greek port of Piraeus, near Athens, and run by the shipping magnate George Koumantarou. Its Philippine manning agent is Sea Power Shipping Enterprises, Inc.

The ship was carrying more than 37,000 tons of iron ore from Brazil to Houston when a blaze broke out in the mess hall before dawn, according to the vessel’s owner, Piraeus-based Atlantic Bulk Carrier Management, Ltd.

The ship was about 100 miles north of Venezuela at the time of the incident and about 55 kilometers from Margarita island.

Contact details in the Philippines:

Sea Power Shipping Enterprises Inc. , GF, 2/F, 3/F & U3896 J & T Bildg., R. Magsaysay Blvd., Sta. Mesa, Manila

Tel:  716 7821 713 0122 715 7189    Fax: 715 4341     7160912

Email: [email protected] Website: SEAPOWER_SHIPPING.COM

Official Rep: Antoniette A. Guerrero, President