3 Arrested For Attempted Murder After Suspected Hate Crime Attack On Filipino Cargo Ship Crew In UK

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after three Filipino crew members of a cargo ship were assaulted near Avonmouth Docks in southwest England.

The attack took place on Richmond Terrace, close to Avonmouth Docks, on Friday evening after a group of people were involved in an altercation.

The three injured men are crew members of a cargo ship that had recently docked at Avonmouth, police said.

Emergency services were called to the area at around 8:30 p.m. BST following reports of the incident.

One of the crew members suffered serious injuries and remains in a critical condition in hospital. A second crew member was taken to hospital for treatment but has since been discharged, while the third suffered minor injuries.

Avon and Somerset Police arrested two men, aged 19 and 45, and a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of attempted murder. They remain in custody.

A 38-year-old woman has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and is being held by police.

Superintendent Deepak Kenth said the three injured men were Filipino nationals and worked on a cargo ship that had recently arrived at Avonmouth.

“There has been a suggestion that racist language was directed towards at least one of the victims during the attack,” Kenth said.

Police are treating the case as a suspected hate crime while further investigations are carried out.

Authorities said enquiries are ongoing, including CCTV checks and witness interviews, to establish exactly what happened during the incident.

Police also rejected online speculation that the injuries were caused by a knife or similar weapon, saying that was not the case.

“While the full circumstances around what happened remain unconfirmed and under investigation, based on our current understanding we believe this to be an isolated incident and there to be no wider risk to public safety,” Kenth said.

The organisation Stand Against Racism & Inequality (SARI) has been informed and is providing support to the victims, police said.

The incident has raised concerns over the safety of seafarers while working and travelling through international ports. Filipino nationals make up a large part of the global maritime workforce, with many employed aboard commercial vessels operating across international trade routes.

Police have appealed for anyone with information about the attack who has not yet spoken with officers to come forward.

References: BBC, northsomersettimes