Houthi rebels strike 2 Filipino-manned vessels; 2 seafarers suspected missing
MANILA, Philippines — Two foreign-flagged vessels with mostly Filipino crews were attacked by Houthi rebels, with two crewmen possibly missing, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Tuesday, July 8.
The first ship was the MV Magic Seas, which had a total of 17 Filipino seafarers and two other foreigners: a Vietnamese chief engineer and a Romanian Master.
The ship was attacked around 51 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah, Yemen on July 6.
The seafarers’ Licensed Manning Agency (LMA) said that they were attacked by small boats with armed men. The ship’s security personnel returned fire, repelling the rebels.
"They are safe, they were rescued and transported to Djibouti. The ship was not as lucky, the ship was damaged and was abandoned, and now the crew are headed home, so we're hoping to have them home soon," DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a press briefing.
The DMW said the Filipino seafarers are currently in a hotel in Djibouti, East Africa.
The second ship, the bulk carrier MV Eternity C, was attacked earlier in the morning of July 8. It had a crew of 21 Filipinos and one other foreigner.
The foreign-flagged vessel was attacked off the coast of Qadida, Yemen, according to the DMW official.
Cacdac said that during the attack on the MV Eternity C, there were sea drones and fast-moving skiffs.
The rebels allegedly threw a rocket-propelled grenade launcher that damaged the ship’s communication systems.
“We are still confirming the reports in the international media that there are two missing and two wounded,” Cacdac said, adding that they are still not certain if the two missing in question were both Filipinos.
The DMW is struggling to communicate with the ship’s management, he said.
He reiterated that Filipino seafarers have the right to refuse assignments in dangerous areas such as the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and must not be penalized or pressured to work there.
The management of the two vessels is no longer allowed to board Filipino seafarers, said Cacdac.
“Should they insist to navigate or traverse the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, they will now be prohibited from boarding Filipino seafarers in such ships. We do not want any other, any more Filipino casualties in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” he said.
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