The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed that three more Filipino crew members of Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated cargo ship MV Eternity C were rescued after they were attacked by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said this brought the total number of survivors to eight.

“We have received a confirmed report that rescuers found three more MV Eternity C Filseafarers [Filipino seafarers], bringing the total number of rescued Filseafarers to eight,” he said on Thursday night, July 10.

However, DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia also disclosed that three Filipino seafarers were killed during the attack.

He said the families of the fallen seafarers were already notified of the development.

Ten seafarers are missing and they are now the subject of an ongoing search and rescue operation.

“The search for the others continues,” Cacdac said.

In a press briefing, Cacdac said the DMW was also aware that Houthi and the United States government had issued statements saying that some crew members were forcibly taken before the ship sank.

“We are fully aware of two statements that have come out. The first is the Houthi statement that they have several Eternity C crew and second, the statement of the United States that they announced this particular action of taking in the crew as a kidnapping action,” he noted.

However, Cacdac said the DMW was still in the process of verifying such reports.

“In either case, we are still yet to confirm for ourselves,” he said.

Earlier, the DMW announced that five Filipino crew of MV Eternity C were rescued after the vessel was besieged by Houthis while sailing off 50 nautical miles southwest of the port of Hodeidah in Yemen last July 7. The ship sank a day after.

The ship had 22 crew members composed of 21 Filipinos and a Russian seafarer. There were also four foreign armed guards onboard.

Meanwhile, the DMW suspended the license of the manning agency of the Filipino crew members of MV Eternity C.

Based on DMW Department Order No. 1 issued in March 2024, shipowners and manning agencies are required to report any planned voyages through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and to ensure that Filipino crew members are fully aware of the dangers associated with these routes. Filipino seafarers also have the right to decline assignments in these designated warlike zones.

Cacdac said that the manning agency failed to submit pertinent documents when it sailed in the Red Sea twice without informing the DMW.

“Napakahigpit ng ating regulatory requirements, reportorial requirements to any Filipino seafarer, to any ships that will traverse the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Mayroong kailangang isubmit na risk assessment, mayroon pang requirement na armed guard at maritime security escort. Our initial investigation reveals that these were all not observed (Our regulatory and reportorial requirements are very strict for any Filipino seafarer and any ships that will traverse the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. A risk assessment must be submitted, and there is even a requirement for an armed guard and maritime security escort. Our initial investigation reveals that none of these were observed)," Cacdac said without identifying the manning agency.

A follow-up investigation is currently underway to assess whether legal action should be taken against the licensed manning agency of the Filipino crew of MV Eternity C.