Safe haven in Singapore

After a traumatic rescue from the waves, two seafarers found help and support in Singapore

In January 2008, the M/V Ho Feng No. 7 sank off Itbayat Island in Batanes, the northernmost province of the Philippines. The Panamanian flagged ship was carrying 19 crew. Of these, eight were rescued but 11 lost their lives at sea.

Two of the rescued seafarers, Richard E Toque, an electrician, and Bryan M Velasco, a general purpose seaman, both from the Philippines, were rescued by another ship, the M/T Ibukisan. They were taken to port in Malaysia and from there to Singapore in order to process their travel documents and fly back to Manila. The Philippine embassy in Singapore contacted AOS port chaplain Fr Romeo Yu who arranged for the two seafarers to stay at the Stella Maris Seamen's Center.

This is how the seafarers described their experience to Fr Romeo.

"It was about 23.30 on 15 January when we were awakened by the A/B on duty and told that the ship was sinking. We assembled at the muster station to prepare the lifeboat. The master then gave the order to abandon ship. However we encountered a problem lowering the lifeboat as there was so much wood floating around the ship. The ship was sinking and we could not use the lifeboat so we jumped into the sea.

We were tossed about in the big waves as we tried to push the wood away to avoid being injured by it. Eight of us held onto the life ring together. As a ship approached to rescue us, the waves became stronger, forcibly separating us. The two of us clung to each other and tried to reach the rope which the rescue ship had lowered. Three times we lost our grip because of the waves. Then the ship threw a net into the sea and that way, we were rescued.

The crew of the rescuing ship treated us very well. As we had lost all our own possessions, they gave us clothes and provided for all our needs. One of the crew was an old classmate so we had a happy reunion. We sailed with them for five days until we reached Malaysia".

According to Fr Romeo, the two seafarers had tears in their eyes as they recounted the experience. The next day they went to the Philippine embassy and they met their local shipping agent. They learned that the other survivors of the shipwreck were in Taiwan. Some of them are in the hospital due to injuries. The two seafarers in Singapore were the first of the crew to return to their own country.

The night before their departure, Fr Romeo accompanied them to Chinatown, newly decorated in preparation for Chinese New Year, where they enjoyed a Filipino meal. There Fr Romeo encouraged the seafarers to talk in more depth about their recent traumatic experience. They discussed their relationship with other members of the crew, the camaraderie. Knowing that the missing crew members would certainly be dead by now, they prayed for them and hoped that they were in a better place, in Heaven.

Fr Romeo reports that the two survivors were very grateful to the Lord that their lives had been saved and that people had cared for them during the days of great anxiety and pain. When they left, they promised that, if they ever have the chance to come back to Singapore, they will visit the Stella Maris center.

Fr Romeo (left) with the rescued seafarers

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