Immediate assistance from the Philippine government will be provided to the seafarers and their families.
On Sunday, July 6, 17 Filipino seafarers and two other crew members on board a bulk carrier were attacked by alleged Houthi rebels while sailing along the Red Sea near Yemen.
Based on official report from Crewcare, Inc., the Licensed Manning Agency (LMA) of the Liberian flag vessel MV Magic Seas, the ship was sailing roughly 51 nautical miles southwest of the town of Hodeidah.
That was when it came under assault from small boats with men armed with automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade.
The ship’s security team, composed of four armed personnel, was able to repel the attack by returning fire.
This led to the successful escape of the ship’s crew, who were later rescued by the passing container ship Safeen Prism.
According to Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac, the 17 Filipino seafarers are all accounted for and are now safely accommodated at a hotel in Djibouti, along with the Romanian master and Vietnamese chief engineer.
“The Department remains in close coordination with relevant government agencies and with the LMA to facilitate the safe and swift repatriation of the affected Filipino seafarers,” Secretary Cacdac said.
He also vowed to closely monitor the situation should any significant developments as they arise.
Meanwhile, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reminded seafarers that they have the right to refuse sailing through high-risk areas, including the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, in accordance to the Department Order No. 1, s. 2024.
Furthermore, they also called on shipowners to avoid traversing these routes to prevent any untoward incident from happening.