SOME 100 Filipino crewmembers of the ill-fated Costa Concordia luxury cruise ship returned home yesterday on two separate flights of Cathay Pacific Airlines, almost a week after the passenger vessel ran aground off the Giglio Island in Italy.

According to Overseas Workers Welfare Administration administrator Carmelita Dimzon, who met the repatriates, said the first of the 296 workers on the ship arrived at 11 a.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Dimzon said an said many of the repatriates failed to save any personal belongings, except for the clothes and uniforms they were wearing when rescued.

Aside from Dimzon, also on hand to welcome the ship survivors were representatives of manning agencies, Magsaysay Maritime Corporation and CTI Ocean Crew, which deployed the 291 seafarers on the Costa Concordia.

MMC and CTI affirmed that the crewmembers will receive repatriation assistance and other benefits. They also promised to take care of the seamen’s welfare.

The employers of the Filipino seafarers provided repatriation assistance, including cash advances for their trip home.

“Other compensation includes payment for loss of personal belongings in the amount provided in the contract, including payment of injury/sick wages if any seafarer suffered injury as a result of the incident,” said an MMC representative.

Meanwhile, Dimzon beamed proudly when she said that the Filipino crew was lauded for helping the passengers of the ship amid the panic during the mishap.

She said she got a report, that a French passenger said they “roped themselves together [most of them Filipino crew]” to enable the passengers to get out of the ship before it went down.    Willy M. Balasa