THREE Filipino crew members of the ill-fated MV Eternity C have been killed during the attack by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, according to an official of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
In a television interview, Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said: “It is confirmed that we have three Filipino crew members who have been killed.”
“The three died on the ship. They were the ones hit by the missiles and RPGs during the initial attack, “ he added.
He said they have already informed the families of the three seamen regarding their deaths.
But in a radio interview, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said they cannot confirm yet if there have been deaths among the Pinoy crew members of MV Eternity C.
“There are reports that three or four crew members died. But we are still confirming this. One source of our confirmation is the ones rescued. As soon as they arrive, we can ask them. They will be the source of our information,” said Cacdac.
On the other hand, Cacdac said the number of rescued Filipino crew members of MV Eternity C has gone up to eight from five on Wednesday night.
“Three more were found. So the number of rescued is now eight. Rest assured that they are all safe,” said Cacdac.
According to Olalia, they already have a tentative timeline on when the rescued seafarers will be repatriated.
“We have a schedule of welcoming them in a safe area, as well as when they will come home,” he said.
The MV Eternity C had 22 crew members on board, composed of 21 Filipinos and one Russian.
The bulk carrier was attacked on Monday off the coast of Yemen by Houthi rebels.
Asked for the status of the other 11 crew members, Olalia said their situation remains “delicate” and “fluid”.
“As of now, we are still working on the problem of our seafarers that remain unaccounted for,” said the official.
“The search, rescue, and negotiation efforts are ongoing. We are doing everything for the seafarers that are unaccounted for,” added Olalia.
The government is still verifying the condition of the Filipino crew members of MV Eternity C who remain unaccounted for, including the possible death of three, after their vessel was attacked while traversing the Red Sea, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said yesterday.
Cacdac, in a briefing in Malacanang around noon, said five Filipino crew and an Indian armed guard, out of the 22 crew of MV Eternity C were the first to be rescued while the rest were considered missing.
He said the rescued seafarers were brought to a secure location where they are provided with medical, physical, and mental health assistance, among others.
He said they would be interviewed, once settled, about what happened during the attack from July 7 to July 8.
“They are in good condition. None of them has a serious physical injury or illness. Of course, it is safe to say, they may have some physical stress from what they went through,” he added.
Cacdac said the government is fully aware of the claims of the Houthi rebels that they have several of the MV Eternity C crew and that the United States has already denounced the “taking in of the crew as a kidnapping action.”
“We still have to confirm for ourselves whether indeed the Houthis have the rest of the crew. So, this is something that is yet subject to confirmation and we are working closely with (Foreign) Secretary Tess Lazaro and the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) along these lines,” he said.
Cacdac said the government is also aware of the report of the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO) that three crew members are dead but emphasized that “this too is subject to confirmation.”
He said the Philippine government has been in touch with the families of the Filipino seafarers and has assured them of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to take care of them and ensure that they receive all the help that they need.
He said 21 of the 22 crew members, including the captain of MV Eternity C, are Filipinos.
Their vessel was en route to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia when they were attacked.
Cacdac said sanctions, such as the suspension of the license of the manning agency that deployed the 21 Filipino seafarers, had been meted out while an investigation is conducted by the government particularly for violating certain policies such as the prohibition of Filipino seafarers from boarding ships transiting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
“We are not happy, of course, with the way things turned out in terms of deployment of the seafarers in a high-risk zone,” he said.
“Currently, the license of the manning agency and its principal are suspended as a preliminary measure. But there will be an investigation,” he added.
Cacdac said regulatory and reportorial requirements prior to boarding for any Filipino seafarer to any ship that will traverse the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden had been very strict amid the dangers in the high risk-zone.
He said in March 2024, requirements such as risk assessments, inclusion of an armed guard and maritime security escort, were a must before a planned passage through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Filipino seafarers should also be made aware and informed of the risks if they agree to board the vessels that would pass the high risk-zone.
“Our initial investigation reveals that these were all not observed,” he added.
Cacdac said DMW may file administrative, civil, and criminal charges against the shipowner and manning agency eventually but the focus at the moment is rescue of the other Filipino seafarers.
He said the government also assured the families of the affected seafarers that their needs would be provided for as ordered by the President.
As this developed, Cacdac said the President has also ordered concerned national government agencies to provide all the necessary assistance, including financial aid, to the 17 seafarers of MV Magic Seas who were set to arrive in the country on Friday.
He said the 17 Filipino seafarers, who will arrive in Manila on July 11 from Djibouti in East Africa, will be provided financial, humanitarian, medical, and psychosocial counseling assistance, as well as other forms of support from various agencies such as the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
The seafarers were rescued after Houthi rebels attacked the Greek-owned bulk carrier MV Magic Seas while sailing the Red Sea near Hodeidah, Yemen, on Sunday.
