The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has officially confirmed the death of a third Filipino seafarer caught in the crossfire of the ongoing war in the Black Sea. Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac reported that out of 236 Filipino crew members across 17 ships impacted by the regional hostilities, three have lost their lives, while 15 have sustained injuries and one remains missing. Currently, the government has successfully repatriated 89 of these workers, including nine of the injured, while the rest are receiving assistance in various neighboring countries such as Ukraine, Romania, Turkey, and Greece.

In response to these tragic events, the DMW has reinforced its safety protocols, explicitly ordering manning agencies and ship owners to relocate all Filipino personnel away from the northern Black Sea. Secretary Cacdac emphasized that the government, supported by security assessments from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of National Defense, has declared the region an active, high-risk international conflict zone. Consequently, the agency has issued a strict advisory prohibiting the deployment of Filipino seafarers to the area until the situation stabilizes, ensuring that the safety of the workforce remains the top priority.