Filipino doctor dies on board ship off Netherlands

MANILA, Philippines – A Filipino who served as a doctor of an oilfield services ship died off the Netherlands on Friday, April 10, due to natural causes – according to the company – but which his family suspects may have been caused by COVID-19, Rappler learned. He was 54.

Rhoneil Deveraturda was a doctor hired by Global Petroprojects Services (GPS) to provide personnel for the ships of Saipem, a large Italian-owned multinational company oilfield services. 

Deveraturda boarded one of the ships on February 18 for another trip, along with at least 80 workers of various nationalities, according to his partner, Lourdes Hiraw. 

It was last week when Deveraturda told her he was treating at least 15 patients on board, mostly with symptoms of the coronavirus. The ship was docked off The Netherlands, according to Hiraw. 

Hiraw said Deveraturda expressed concerned about their situation, and that he was trying his best to treat his patents with the available medicines on board. Deveraturda was advised to “isolate them,” according to Hiraw.

A few days ago, Hiraw said Deveraturda told her he had developed sore throat, cough, and fever.

At around 2 am on Friday, he messaged her to say his situation had turned for the worse – he was coughing badly, could not breathe, and saw blood in his sputum.

She said she messaged back to calm him down. He never replied.

On Friday afternoon, Hiraw was informed of Deveraturda’s death.

She told Rappler that GPS reported to her that Deveraturda died “per natural cause.”

“The authorities of Netherlands have classified the death as ‘per natural cause,’ from Netherland point of view no further medical investigation [is] needed. The body of late Mr Deveraturda is now onshore,” said a communication sent to Hiraw which she showed Rappler.

Hiraw said she already asked for an autopsy. “I want him to be honored for the service he showed as a doctor despite the risks and limitations that he faced on the ship,” Hiraw said in a mix of English and Filipino. 

Various news reports in Dutch referred to the death on Friday. One report said: “The crew of a ship in Waalhaven was quarantined Friday after a case of corona on board. A body of someone who may have died of the disease has also been found… 13 of the 77 crew members were placed in isolation.”

Deveraturda has been with GPS since 2008, according to Hiraw.

He finished political science at the University of Santo Tomas in 1986 before taking up medicine at Fatima University. – Glenda M. Gloria/Rappler.com