Philippine Seafarers Set to Come Home This Week Following Red Sea Missile Attack

The image obtained from the US Central Command (CENTCOM) on March 6, 2024, shows the Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier after being hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile launched from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Eleven seafarers from the merchant ship attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea are set to return to the Philippines this week, with two Filipino seafarers among those killed and three injured. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that the surviving Filipino seafarers are currently in Djibouti and are being assisted by the Philippine Embassy in Cairo, Egypt to return home. The remains of the two deceased Filipino seafarers have not been retrieved yet due to the high heat signature preventing the salvaging team from entering the vessel.

Houthi rebels have been targeting merchant vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden since November, with last week’s deaths being the first reported civilian fatalities from such an attack. The Houthis claim their attacks on vessels are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. President Marcos called for an end to the conflict and full respect for freedom of navigation, emphasizing the Philippines’ commitment to the safety and welfare of its seafarers and overseas Filipino workers in the region. The Philippines is also working to secure the release of 17 Filipinos held hostage by the Houthis since November after the rebels seized their ship.

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