Combined international forces rescued 21 of the 22 Filipino seafarers from a ship that was hit by two missiles allegedly launched by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed on Saturday, June 15.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the rescue operation was launched between 10:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14, on the ship that was adrift in the southern portion of the Red Sea.
"There was a rescue of the combined international forces and they extracted 21 seafarers from the ship, 21 seafarers… they were boarded into a security forces ship and taken to safer port,” said Cacdac in a press briefing on Saturday.
All the 21 rescued seafarers, according to Cacdac, were not hurt during the rescue operation.
But he said one Filipino seafarer remains missing.
“We will not stop locating outr seafarer who is just within the ship. The President clearly directed us to monitor the situation as well as the continuing wellbeing of the 21 seafarers,” said Cacdac.
The Greek-owned and Liberia-flagged freighter was reportedly hit by two missiles at the Red Sea on June 12.
The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden were designated as ‘war-like zones’ by the International Bargaining Forum (IBF) in response to continuing rebel attacks against vessels plying these routes.
The declaration resulted in the DMW deciding that the Filipino seafarers can exercise their right to refuse to board the ship travelling in the two areas.