A Filipino seaman has been missing since January 16, 2024, after an accident near Colombo, Sri Lanka, in the Indian Ocean.
John Carel Ampo, 27, from Barangay Duay, Duero, Bohol, was onboard the Zim Rotterdam, a container ship that was en route from Sri Lanka to Singapore.
According to his family, Ampo last contacted them on January 15, 2024, and told them that he was doing well. The next day, they received a call from the ship’s captain, who informed them that Ampo was involved in an accident and had fallen overboard. The captain said that they searched for him for several hours, but could not find him.
The family has appealed to the Philippine government and the Sri Lankan authorities to help them locate Ampo and bring him back home. They have also posted a message on social media, hoping to reach out to any Sri Lankan brothers and sisters who might have seen or heard anything about Ampo.
“Good day everyone. I am seeking for help hoping we have Sri Lankan brothers and sisters here,” the message read. “You can contact me directly if you know his whereabouts. God bless you all. Let us all pray that God will guide him and will lead him safely back home. Please disseminate this.”
Ampo is one of the estimated 100 Filipino seafarers who have gone missing over the last three to four years, according to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). The OWWA has admitted that the Philippine government has yet to conduct a thorough investigation on the disappearance of Filipino seafarers, noting the lack of jurisdiction over foreign vessels and international waters.
OWWA has urged lawmakers to pass legislation that would create a government body to look into such cases, as well as marine accidents and other incidents.