MANILA, Jun 14 (NNN-PNA) – The Philippines today said, Filipino sailors were among the crew on board a commercial ship, attacked by the Houthis in the Red Sea on Jun 12.
“The Philippine government will take all necessary measures to secure the safety and well-being of the Filipino crew on board and ensure justice. We call on all U.N. member states to protect the human rights of seafarers,” said the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
The DFA did not say how many Filipinos were on board, but sources said, over 20 Filipino crew members were working on the ship.
Yemen’s Houthis launched a boat-borne bomb attack on Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier, MV Tutor, in the Red Sea on Wednesday.
Filipino sailors have been killed or abducted in Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. They are still holding a number of the kidnapped victims.
In Apr, the Philippines banned the deployment of Filipino seafarers on passenger and cruise ships, transiting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, due to the risk of sailing in those regions.
The Philippines is among the biggest suppliers of maritime labour in the world, providing almost one-fifth of the 1.2 million seafarers worldwide, according to the International Labour Organisation.– NNN-PNA
