26 July 2005 – The Philippine Embassy in Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand reported today to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the remains of Filipino Engineer Frederick Guerrero Napasa is scheduled to be flown into Manila tomorrow, 27 July 2005, aboard Thai Airways flight TG 621, which is expected to land at Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Antonio V. Rodriguez informed the Department that the Embassy is fast-tracking the processing of documentary requirements to facilitate the shipment of Mr. Napasa’s remains.  The Embassy is also extending all possible assistance to members of his family who flew into Thailand on Saturday.

When news broke of the construction accident in the Northeastern Thai Province of Mukdahan, involving the Filipino engineer and a number of other Sumitomo personnel, Ambassador Rodriguez immediately dispatched Mr. Jasper Revilla, Embassy Attaché and Consular Officer, to the area to coordinate closely with the Thai authorities involved in the search and rescue operations.

While in Mukdahan, Mr. Revilla closely monitored the progress of the work being done by the Royal Thai Marine Police, the Royal Thai Navy and Sumitomo personnel to rescue possible survivors of the accident and retrieve and identify the bodies of those who perished.  Mr. Revilla reported these developments to the Embassy in Bangkok, which in turn gave daily updates to the DFA Home Office in Manila.

According to Mr. Revilla, the body of the 39-year old Mr. Napasa was positively identified by his wife Rud-Jen at 11:10 p.m. (Bangkok time) on 24 July at the Mukdahan Hospital Morgue.  Ms. Rud-Jen and Mr. Napasa’s sister Laura and brother Bong were flown into Thailand by Sumitomo and were accompanied by a Company executive based in Manila.  According to the Embassy, Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Company Ltd. is also shouldering the cost of the shipment of Mr. Napasa’s remains.

Mr. Napasa’s body was recovered at around noon on 24 July at Baan Lhaomahood, the Lao side of the Mekong River opposite Baan Naseda in Aumnatcharuern another northeastern province of Thailand.  The report says that Mr. Napasa is the sixth body to be recovered on 24 July by the search and rescue team, which was augmented by local specialized divers since torrential rains and the murky waters of the Mekong River are hampering rescue operations.  Earlier recoveries of bodies were also made downstream of the river, about 15 kilometers from the project site.

To date, seven casualties in the accident have officially been confirmed, this number includes Japanese, Thai and Lao nationals.  Meanwhile two others, another Japanese and a Lao national, remain unaccounted for.  Eleven other persons were reported injured as a result of the accident.  Ambassador Rodriquez also reported that two other Filipino engineers form part of the bridge construction team and were not harmed.  They are Mr. Vic Hamlig and Mr. Patrick Labuca who are actively participating in the search and rescue operations and are helping in identifying the casualties.

According to the Embassy’s report, Mr. Napasa was initially reported missing when the temporary support structure used in the construction of the 2nd Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in Mukdahan collapsed into the Mekong River on 22 July 2005 as water levels in the Mekong River rose substantially during the rainy season.  END
 
 
 
 

/epa