DFA: 8 seafarers now in PHL custody

THE EIGHT rescued Filipino crew members of the MV Eternity C are now in the joint custody of Philippine government agencies in Jeddah and their shipping agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday.

“Eight out of the 21 Filipino seafarers of the ill-fated MV Eternity C have safely disembarked at the port city of Jizan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are now in the joint custody of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, the Migrant Workers’ Office-Jeddah, and their shipping agency,” the DFA said in a statement.

Last week, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said that Houthi rebels in small boats attacked and sank the MV Eternity C using drones and rocket propelled grenades as it was sailing in the Red Sea near Yemen.

The DFA added that the rescued Filipino seafarers will undergo mandatory medical assessment before their scheduled repatriation.

“We are working round-the-clock with their manning agency and the shipping company to ensure they receive the care and support they need,” Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said in a separate statement.

He added that the DMW and the DFA are working to account for the remaining 13 Filipino crewmen from the MV Eternity C. The Liberian-flagged bulk carrier was carrying 22 crew members, 21 of which were Filipinos.

“The DMW has conducted home visits to the families of the 13 seafarers, and assured them of their full support and assistance,” it added.

The attack on the MV Eternity C was among the latest attacks by Houthi rebels after it pledged support for Palestinians in Gaza, since the Israel-Hamas conflict began in 2023. — Adrian H. Halili