SEVENTEEN Filipino seafarers and two other crewmembers of a bulk carrier escaped an armed attack by suspected Huthi rebels on their ship while they were cruising at the Red Sea near Hodeidah, Yemen on July 6, 2025, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Meanwhile, an international maritime monitor reported that five seamen were rescued after their cargo ship was attacked and sunk off rebel-held Yemen.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said all the Filipino sailors have been accounted for and are currently staying at a hotel in Djibouti, East Africa, including the ship’s Romanian skipper and a Vietnamese chief engineer.
The tanker was carrying iron and fertilizers from China enroute to Turkey when it encountered the assault lasting more than four hours, involving gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades from skiffs, as well as by sea drones and missiles.
“The Department remains in close coordination with relevant government agencies and with the manning agency to facilitate the safe and swift repatriation of the affected Filipino seafarers,” Cacdac said.
The Secretary also ensured that immediate assistance from the Philippine government will be provided to the seamen and their families.
Based on official report from Crewcare, Inc., the licensed manning agency of the Liberian-flagged MV Magic Seas, the ship was sailing southwest of Hodeidah, Yemen when it came under attack from small boats by men armed with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades.
The ship’s four-man security team was able to repel the attack by returning fire. This led to the escape of the ship’s crew, who were later rescued by the passing container ship Safeen Prism.
“We will continue to closely monitor the situation and keep the President informed of any significant developments as they arise,” Cacdac added.
The Eternity C, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, was badly damaged in the deadly attack in the Red Sea that started on Monday and continued into Tuesday.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels have not claimed responsibility for the incident, which came after they boarded and sank another cargo ship on Sunday.
The attacks marked the first wave of Huthi-linked seaborne strikes since last month’s 12-day war between Iran and Israel.
“Search and rescue operations commenced overnight,” said the British Navy’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
“Five crew members have been rescued and searches continue for those remaining,” it added.
On Tuesday, the European Union force patrolling the Red Sea told AFP that three people were killed and at least two injured — including a Russian electrician who lost a leg — in the attack on the Eternity C.
Twenty-two people were aboard the Greek-operated vessel, all but one from the Philippines, according to Filipino officials.
The US embassy in Yemen has accused the Huthis of staging the attack, with UK-based security firm Ambrey also saying the group was likely to blame.
The Huthis have attacked ships in the vital trade route since the start of the Gaza war, claiming solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
But Sunday’s attack on the Magic Seas was their first since late last year, following a Gaza ceasefire and a heavy US bombing campaign targeting Huthi areas.
The rebels released a propaganda video showing masked, armed men storming the Magic Seas and simultaneous explosions that scuttled the bulk carrier.
Huthi attacks have prompted many freight companies to detour around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, which normally carries about 12 percent of global trade.
The US bombing campaign, aimed at stamping out the attacks, ended with a ceasefire in early May. However, the rebels told AFP they would continue to target “Israeli ships.”
On Monday, they said they hit the Magic Seas because the company that owns it had done business with Israel and used its ports.
In a statement on Tuesday, the US embassy in Yemen blamed the Huthis for the Eternity C attack, calling it “the most violent” yet and accusing them “undermining freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.”
Meanwhile, Israel, stung by regular Houthi missile attacks, has carried out several strikes on Yemen, including a wave of air raids on Sunday.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “17 Filipino seafarers escape Red Sea attack by Houthis—DMW”
