MANILA. The fate of 11 sailors, most of them Filipinos, remains unknown following the sinking of the cargo vessel Eternity C in the Red Sea after it was attacked twice by Houthi militants on July 8 and 9.
Four crew members are confirmed dead, including at least two Filipinos, according to survivor accounts. The Yemeni rebel group claimed to have rescued some of the missing and taken them to a “safe place,” but did not specify how many sailors were in their custody or how many remain unaccounted for.
Ten crew members have so far been rescued: eight Filipinos, one Indian, and one Greek security guard. The last group of survivors was pulled from the water after over 48 hours adrift.
The Eternity C, a Liberian-flagged cargo ship operated by the Greek company Cosmoship Management, was carrying wheat to Somalia for the World Food Programme. It sank on July 10, a day after the attacks, which involved marine drones and RPG rockets. The assault is part of the Houthis’ renewed campaign against maritime trade in the Red Sea, which they say is in retaliation for the war in Gaza. More than 100 vessels have been attacked in the area since November 2023.
The United States Mission in Yemen has accused the Houthis of kidnapping some of the sailors and called for their immediate release. However, Greek authorities and the operating company have yet to issue official statements regarding the situation.
The incident comes just days before Sea Sunday, when the global Catholic Church honors maritime workers. In response, Fr. John Mission, national director of Stella Maris-Philippines, appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize the protection of Filipino seafarers working in high-risk areas.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones affected by this heartbreaking event,” Fr. Mission said in a statement to UCANews. “As for the missing seafarers, we hope and pray that they will be found.”
He added that Stella Maris chaplaincies have been asked to reach out to affected families and offer support.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac also reminded Filipino seafarers that they have the right to refuse assignments in designated “high-risk or war-like” zones, including the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, following the recent wave of attacks.
Despite the dangers, the Philippines remains the world’s largest supplier of maritime workers, providing over 20 percent of the estimated 1.2 million seafarers globally.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
