NINE Filipino crew members of the ill-fated MV Eternity C are currently being held in captivity by Houthi rebels, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
In a hastily called online media conference, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac yesterday disclosed that they have confirmed that nine of the 21 Filipino crew members of the MV Eternity C have been captured by the militant group.
“Today, we confirm, in coordination with our DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs), that the nine (seafarers) are in the hands of the Houthi forces,” said Cacdac.
“We are continually in close coordination with the DFA and the families with reference to the safety, well-being, as well as the release and safe return of the nine (seafarers),” he added.
Citing communications between the seafarers and their families, Cacdac said the nine are in “good condition.”
“Right now, as it stands, under the circumstances, they have told their families that they are in good condition,” said Cacdac.
However, he said they are not privy to the exact location of the seafarers and their captors.
“Thus far, we have no knowledge of their precise whereabouts… we will have to defer to the DFA on those matters,” said Cacdac.
The DMW chief said another crew member of MV Eternity C has been missing for nearly a month since it was attacked in the Red Sea.
“We still have one who is still missing,” said Cacdac.
On the other hand, the DMW confirmed that three crew members were killed during the attack, as earlier reported.
And according to Cacdac, they have yet to recover the remains of the three killed seafarers.
“The ship sank and so we don’t have the bodies of the fatalities. So that’s the difficulty at the moment,” Cacdac said.
Earlier this month, the MV Eternity C, which has 21 Filipino crew members, was attacked twice by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
Eight of the Filipino crew members of MV Eternity C have been rescued and safely repatriated.
