Remains of Filipina Killed in Bavaria Bus Accident Returned to the Philippines
Key Takeaways
- •The remains of a Filipino woman who died in a German bus accident were repatriated to the Philippines on Sunday evening and personally received by her family at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.
- •The victim was one of 33 Filipinos riding a bus from Milan to Munich for the Oktoberfest festival when it overturned on Sept. 27, and no other vehicle was involved in the crash.
- •German officials have not yet determined what caused the accident, with the findings of their investigation still pending.
- •Prior to the repatriation, OWWA's Migrant Workers Office helped the deceased woman's father and sibling travel to Germany to be with her.
- •Senior officials from the DMW and OWWA accompanied the bereaved family as the agencies continue working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt to support Filipinos affected by the incident.
The remains of a Filipino woman who died in a bus accident on a highway in Germany arrived in the Philippines on Sunday evening, according to statements issued on Monday by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the government's lead agencies for the welfare of Filipinos abroad.
Her bereaved family personally received the remains, which were flown to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 aboard Turkish Airlines Flight TK 0084, the two agencies said in statements.
OWWA Deputy Administrators Rosalia Susana S. Bahia-Catapang and Ryan Vincent L. Uy joined DMW Assistant Secretary Regina Gallas and other personnel from both agencies in accompanying the family to express solidarity and ensure the continued provision of government assistance.
Before the repatriation, OWWA said its Migrant Workers Office assisted the deceased woman's father and sibling in traveling to Germany to be with their loved one. Helping family members reach an overseas loved one and bringing home the remains of Filipinos who die abroad are among the forms of assistance the two agencies extend in such cases.
The accident occurred on Sept. 27, when a bus carrying 33 Filipinos from Milan to Munich for the Oktoberfest beer festival — one of the world's largest folk festivals, held annually in Munich — overturned. No other vehicle was involved, but German officials are still investigating the cause of the crash, with the findings of that inquiry still pending.
Since the incident, the DMW and OWWA have closely coordinated with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt, and other relevant offices in Germany to address the needs of the Filipinos affected.
— Francessca S. Abalos, BusinessWorld
