All the 13 Filipino seafarers on board a bulk carrier were safe after four missiles launched by Houthi rebels hit the ship on Tuesday, May 28, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.
While the ship sustained some damage after the attack, the DMW said the 13 Filipino and a Ukrainian crew were unhurt when it was hit by four rockets traversing the Yemeni coast near Hodeidah.
“The vessel is continuing its voyage to its next port of call. The DMW is communicating with the shipping and manning agencies, monitoring the safety and condition of our Filipino seafarers,” the statement read.
“The DMW is also contacting the crew members' families to provide any assistance they may need,” it added.
The DMW has been warning Filipino seafarers of the dangers of being deployed to ships that would traverse in the areas where Houthi rebels operate following past attacks.
In March this year, two Filipino seafarers died in a missile attack of Houthi rebels at the Gulf of Aden.
The incident prompted the DMW to seek the declaration of the Gulf of Aden and some parts of the Red Sea as war-like conditions.
The DMW also set stricter rules on Filipino seafarers deployment to ships that would traverse the two areas, with emphasis on giving the Filipino seamen the right to refuse deployment without being discriminated against .