5 Filipino seafarers rescued in Red Sea

Five Filipino seafarers were rescued when a Liberia-flagged and Greek-operated cargo ship sunk Wednesday, July 9, after being attacked by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) bared.

- By MARTIN SADONGDONG

MV Eternity C descended into the bottom of the Red Sea around 1 p.m. (Philippine Standard Time), two days after the July 7 siege staged by Houthi rebels while the vessel was sailing off 50 nautical miles southwest of the port of Hodeidah in Yemen.

The vessel has 22 crew members — 21 Filipinos and a Russian.

The DMW said all those rescued are Filipinos. Aside from the crew, the ship also has four armed guards. Rescue personnel also found an Indian armed guard during the ongoing mission.

“Nagkaroon ng ulat kaninang umaga na mayroong two security firms na involved na inatasan ng ship owner na magsagawa ng rescue (There was a report earlier this morning that two security firms were involved and were assigned by the ship owner to conduct the rescue),” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a press briefing on Wednesday night.