According to an update regarding the MV Eternity C, some of its crew were reportedly kidnapped by the Houthi forces.
MV ETERNITY C UPDATE – The Department of Migrant Workers is still verifying reports about the reported abduction of the sunken vessel’s crew.
Houthi forces had attacked and sunk MV Eternity C off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea. Based on reports, at least five Filipino seafarers have been rescued, while 17 remain unaccounted for. There were deaths reported in the sunken bulk vessel, where a total of 21 Filipino crew members and a foreign national were on board.
Previously, MV Tutor was also attacked by Houthi militants last year. The crew was rescued except for the ship’s 2nd engineer.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed the ill fate of Eternity C, and Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said regarding the rescued crew, all of whom are Filipinos, “They might have some injuries, but walang major injuries na inulat. We are still getting details as to how exactly that happened, and the rest, we’ll find out pag nakausap na namin ‘yung lima na na-rescue.”
According to a post from Marino PH, they have received information that some of the crew members were abducted by the militants. As mentioned, five were rescued and three died from the attack.
The DMW is still verifying this information, as per the Migrant Workers Secretary during a Palace briefing on Thursday. Cacdac said, “We are fully aware of the at least two statements that have come out. The first, of course, is the Houthi statement that they have several, quote-unquote, of the Eternity C crew. And the second is the statement of the United States that they denounced this particular action of taking in the crew as a kidnapping action.”
They are yet to confirm if the militants really have the rest of the crew, and they are working closely with the foreign affairs secretary, Tess Lazaro, and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The bulk carrier was attacked on July 7, and it sank early on July 8.
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