Houthi supporters chant slogans while holding up weapons during a protest against the US and Israel and in support of Palestinians, in Sana'a, Yemen, 01 March 2024. Yemen's Houthis have fired some 384 missiles and drones at shipping vessels since mid-November 2023, when they started attacking maritime targets in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, according to Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. Yahya Arhab, EPA-EFE

(2nd UPDATE) A Houthi missile attack on a bulk carrier navigating the Gulf of Aden has resulted in the death of 3 seafarers, 2 of which have been identified as Filipinos, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

“We in the Department of Migrant Workers sincerely extend our deepest condolences to the family and kin of our slain, heroic seafarers. For reasons of privacy, we are withholding their names and identities,” a DMW statement said.

Three other Filipinos were also seriously injured in the incident, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.  

The DMW said it is also trying to get information on the situation of the rest of the Filipino crew, which have been reportedly taken to a “safe port.”

The DMW assured its full support and assistance to all the affected seafarers.

“On the direction of the President, the DMW is extending the fullest support and assistance to the families of our seafarers. The DMW has coordinated with the principal shipowner and manning agency to work on the repatriation of the remaining Filipino crew members.”

It also reiterated its call for ship owners to avoid “high risk areas,” particularly the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea where Houthi rebels have concentrated their maritime attacks. It also appealed for diplomatic efforts to address the Middle East conflict, which is also the reason why Houthi rebels are carrying out attacks.

“The DMW reiterates its call to shipowners with ships navigating the volatile Red Sea – Gulf of Aden sea lanes to comply strictly with the expanded “high risk areas” designation and to implement appropriate risk mitigation measures, such as rerouting vessels and deploying armed security personnel onboard such vessels. 

The DMW also calls for continued diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and to address the causes of the current conflict in the Middle East.”

Injured seafarers brought to  Djibouti

The injured Filipinos on board the vessel MV True Confidence are now being treated in a hospital in Djibouti, according to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega.

“There are three injured Filipinos we know one has burns on the face and the other apparently I think it was the cook, had to be amputated dahil sa injuries. They’re in a Djibouti hospital now, yung tatlo and the other Filipinos,” de Vega said.

The vessel’s 20-man crew was composed of 15 Filipinos, four Vietnamese, and one Indian national. According to de Vega, the vessel was engulfed in flames after it was hit by a Houthi missile, forcing the remaining crew to abandon the ship. 

The bodies of the fatalities are still on the ship.

The Philippine Embassy in Cairo will send representatives to assist the Filipinos.

“The Philippine Embassy in Cairo is in charge of Djibouti. They will have to send a team, we’re coordinating because ngayon wala silang papeles kasi sa rush, or maybe because their ship was burning, they left their papers,” de Vega explained.

The DMW has appealed for diplomatic efforts to address the Middle East conflict, which is the reason why Houthi rebels have been carrying out a series of sea attacks.

The first victim of the the Houthi attacks was car carrier Galaxy Leader, which has 17 Filipinos on board. They are still being held hostages in Yemen.

De Vega said their release depends the resolution of the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants.

He also shared positive development about the Filipino seafarers on board the ship St. Nikolas in Iran that was seized by Iranian Navy.

After the release of 1 of the 18 Filipino seafarers last February, 11 others are expected to return to the Philippines.

The 11 Filipinos are still in Iran. Nine of them will fly to Dubai and get a flight via Emirates and arrive in Manila on Sunday. Two others are scheduled to fly home on March 13.

Only six Filipinos remain on St. Nikolas but de Vega expects them to be home soon as well.