Houthis rebels attack 2 ships manned by Filipino seafarers

National

TWO ships manned by Filipino seafarers were attacked by Houthi rebels, a Yemen-based Islamist group.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed the twin incidents, which happened on Sunday and Tuesday while the two ships were sailing near Yemen and off the coast of Hodeidah.

According to a report from Inquirer.net, the two latest attacks carried out by the rebel group are in support of Palestinians in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October, 2023. They have been targeting ships in the Red Sea.

The DMW said that the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier MV Magic Seas manned by 17 Filipino seafarers, a Romanian, and a Vietnamese was assaulted on Sunday.

Fortunately, the crew members survived after four of their members who are also their security personnel fought off the unidentified number of Houthi rebels. The rebels were carrying automatic weapons and a rocket-propelled grenade.

Crewcare Inc., the licensed manning agency of the ship said in an official report that the ship was sailing approximately 51 nautical miles (94.45 kilometers) southwest of Hodeidah, Yemen, when the attack happened.

The crew of the Magic Seas was rescued by a passing container ship, Safeen Prism. The DMW confirmed that the crew are safe in a hotel in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.

In a statement, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac shared that the Philippine government was working to bring the Filipinos home soon.

“The [DMW] remains in close coordination with relevant government agencies and with the [licensed manning agency] to facilitate the safe and swift repatriation of the affected Filipino seafarers,” he said.

Cacdac emphasized that they are keeping a close eye on the situation.

“We will continue to closely monitor the situation and keep [President Marcos] informed of any significant developments as they arise,” he said.

Cacdac also announced that another Liberia-flagged ship, the MV Eternity C, that carried 22 crew members, including 21 Filipinos, was attacked by the same rebel group off the coast of Hodeidah on Tuesday morning (Manila time).

According to Cacdac, the DMW is still verifying reports from international media that two of the ship’s crew were missing, and another two were injured.

“We are still confirming [these reports] at this hour. We are in close coordination with the manning agent, the principal or the ship owner. We’re having difficulty communicating with them. We’re a little frustrated about this, but we hope that they will come forward soon,” he said.

Cacdac stated that the DMW have already contacted the families of the crew members of the Eternity C.

Cacdac assured that the DMW will be closely working with the Department of Foreign Affairs about the situation and will also approach international groups like the International Transport Federation, the Union of Seafarers, and the Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines.

The assaults on the Magic Seas and Eternity C were the latest attacks on ships manned by Filipino seafarers carried out by Houthi. In November 2023, the rebels hostaged 23 crew members, including 17 Filipinos, of the cargo vessel Galaxy Leader.

The Filipinos were held for over a year before they were returned home to the Philippines in January this year.

Cacdac said that last year the DMW issued a department order requesting shipowners to change the route of their ships and avoid going through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

“It is not enough to just say you’re taking the necessary safety precautions. The best way to spare our seafarers is to avoid the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” Cacdac said.

Shipowners and manning agencies are also urged by Cacdac to list Filipino crew members onboard and report the scheduled passage of their ship in the DMW’s electronic monitoring system.

“[F]ailure to report such a significant event will result in the imposition of sanctions under DMW rules and regulations upon the manning agent and the principal,” he exclaimed.

He also brought up that seafarers have the right to refuse sailing in dangerous zones including the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

They can confirm their refusal by submitting a form to the DMW by emailing sbhighrisk@dmw.gov.ph, or by calling the agency’s hotline, 1348.

Cacdac stated that the MV Magic Seas and the MV Eternity C are prohibited from boarding Filipino seafarers. (Marlon Ado Jr., USC Comm Intern)