A Filipino crew member was reportedly injured when the Ehime shipping company's cargo ship "Namra Queen" was hit by a Russian rocket while sailing in the Black Sea off the Ukrainian city of Odessa.
It may have been a misfire, but it was a tragedy for those who were hit.
One of the most tragic misadventures in Ukraine was the 2014 shooting down of a Malaysia Airlines airliner that had taken off from Amsterdam Airport in the Netherlands and was headed to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
A total of 298 passengers and crew were killed. Three of them were Filipinos.
Fortunately, the crew of the cargo ship, including the captain and all 20 crew members, were Filipinos and their injuries were not serious.
According to the website of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Filipinos account for 75% of the 55,000 seafarers in Japan's oceangoing fleet.
In other words, without Filipinos, Japan's shipping industry would not be viable.
The popularity of sailing as a profession is high in the Philippines. After all, the salary is high. There are many people who earn over 10 million yen a year. Since the average annual income of Filipinos is 350,000 to 360,000 yen, it is no wonder that many people aspire to become seafarers.
It seems that he was only slightly injured this time, but I pray for a safe voyage from the shadows.
