9 Pinoy seafarers held by Houthi rebels–DMW
Nine Filipino crew members of the Liberia-flagged vessel MV Eternity C are being held by Houthi rebels who attacked the bulk carrier as it was passing through the Red Sea on July 8, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said on Tuesday.
Three other Filipino seafarers have died while one remains missing, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac told reporters, although he stressed that the reported fatalities are “still subject to further confirmation” as no bodies have been recovered.
Cacdac said they based their information on the accounts of the eight Filipinos who were rescued after the attack and safely transported back to the Philippines on July 16.
MV Eternity C sank after it was attacked by Houthi rebels, who came in fast-moving skiffs and were armed with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades, off the coast of Hodeidah, Yemen. The bulk carrier had 22 crew members, 21 of them Filipinos.
It was one of the latest attacks by the Yemen-based Islamist group, which has been targeting vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out in October 2023.
Cacdac earlier said that eight Filipino seafarers were picked up by rescue teams after floating in the sea for over 24 hours.
In good health
As for the nine other Filipino seafarers who are currently in the custody of Houthi rebels, Cacdac said they seem to be in good health. This was based on information coming from their families, who said they received phone calls from their loved ones.
“[R]ight now, as it stands, under the circumstances, they have told their families that they are in good condition,” Cacdac said. “On their whereabouts, we will have to defer to the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) on those matters, but thus far, we have no knowledge of their precise whereabouts.”
The DMW chief said no other Filipino seafarers have been confirmed to be in the hands of the rebel group. At the same time, he assured those affected by the Houthi attack of the agency’s continued assistance and support.
“[W]e are continually in close coordination with the DFA and the families with reference to the safety, well-being, as well as the release and safe return of the nine [seafarers],” Cacdac said.
“We know the DFA is in [close] coordination with the foreign governments that can help us, and we also have our honorary consul in Yemen,” he added.
According to Cacdac, the challenge now for the DMW is the retrieval of the bodies of the fatalities, noting that this will be “difficult” given the sinking of the ship.
Policy review
“We had a similar case last year, the MV Tutor, and we encountered that same difficulty there. Until now, we have not yet recovered one of our seafarers who sank with the MV Tutor,” he said.
Cacdac added that the DMW is currently reviewing its policy requiring ships carrying Filipino crew members to change routes or avoid high-risk areas like the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden following the Houthi attacks.
He noted that more than 50 percent of ships have complied with the policy, “but there are still some who, for one reason or another, venture to cross those treacherous waters.”
According to Cacdac, the MV Eternity C traversed the Red Sea three times but failed to submit any of the reports required by the DMW. The licensed manning agency of the vessel has since been suspended, with the DMW eyeing a “more permanent penalty” as it continues to investigate the case.
“[W]e are still reviewing the matter on whether a more, should I say, across-the-board or blanket ban will be imposed on all ships carrying Filipino seafarers that pass through the Red Sea,” he said.
In November 2023, all 25 crew members of the cargo vessel Galaxy Leader, including 17 Filipinos, were taken hostage by the Houthis in retaliation for Israel’s offensive in Gaza. After being in captivity for over a year in Yemen, the Filipinos were freed and safely returned to the Philippines in January this year.
