The Department of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the recent attack by Houthi rebels on the merchant vessel MV Tutor in the Red Sea. The Greek-owned but Liberian-flagged ship, which was struck by a Houthi unmanned surface vessel on June 12, had Filipino crew members on board. DFA Spokesperson Teresita Daza has pledged to ensure the safe return of all Filipino workers and to seek justice for the incident. The Philippine government is committed to protecting the rights and well-being of its seafarers and is calling on all UN member states to do the same.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been carrying out a series of attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the Israel-Palestine conflict. Filipino seafarers, who make up a significant portion of the global maritime workforce, have unfortunately been caught in the crossfire of these attacks. In a tragic incident in March, two Filipino seafarers lost their lives when a Houthi missile hit their vessel in the Gulf of Aden.
To prevent further casualties, the Department of Migrant Workers has imposed a ban on deploying Filipino seafarers on ships traveling through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which have been classified as high-risk and war-like zones by international maritime organizations. The safety and security of Filipino seafarers remain a top priority for the Philippine government in light of these ongoing threats.
