Two Filipino seafarers killed in Gulf of Aden missile attack

Two Filipino sailors were killed and three others were injured in the first-known missile attack by Houthi rebels on a bulk carrier navigating the Gulf of Aden, the Philippine government confirmed Thursday.

The missile strike on Wednesday marked the latest attack by the Yemen-based insurgents who have been targeting international shipping in recent months to retaliate for the Israeli siege of the Gaza Strip.

The M/V True Confidence, a Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier, was hit by the missile about 50 nautical miles southwest of Aden, a port city in Yemen. The ship was carrying steel products and trucks to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Aqaba, Jordan, from China. 

“With great sadness, the DMW confirms the deaths of two Filipino seafarers in the most recent attack by Houthi rebels on ships plying the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” the Philippines Department of Migrant Workers said in a Facebook post. 

A third crew member, identified as a Vietnamese, was killed in the attack.

In a later post, the DMW reported the three who were injured were in stable condition at a hospital in Djibouti City, while 10 others were safe and being housed at a hotel there. 

“We welcome the report that our seafarers are safe and secure, away from the dangers they faced yesterday,” said Hans Leo J. Cacdac, the department’s officer-in-charge, according to the post. “I had a video call with all 10 Filipino crew members in a Djibouti hotel and attest to their safety.” 

Media reports said the True Confidence was targeted after the crew, including Vietnamese, Sri Lankans, an Indian and a Nepali national, had rejected warning messages. 

Washington, a close ally of both the Philippines and Israel, blamed the Iran-backed Houthi rebels for the attack.

“The United States will continue to hold the Houthis accountable for their attacks, which have not just disrupted international commerce, not just disrupted the freedom of navigation in international waters, and not just endangered seafarers, but now, tragically, killed a number of them,” U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Wednesday.

The Houthis have launched a series of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel in solidarity with the Hamas fighters’ Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack that killed about 1,100 people, including about 700 civilians.

In January, 18 Filipino crew members serving on the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker ST Nikolas were detained when Tehran seized it in the Gulf of Oman, the DMW said. At the time, the Iranian Embassy in Manila had promised to help free the 18, adding they were safe. 

Authorities said the 18 remain detained by Tehran.

Support for sailors, families

On Thursday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered the government’s support for the crew of the True Confidence.

“On the direction of the president, the DMW is extending the fullest support and assistance to the families of our seafarers. The DMW has coordinated with the principal ship owner and manning agency to work on the repatriation of the remaining Filipino crew members,” the agency said. 

It reiterated its call for ship owners to avoid “high-risk areas,” especially the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea where Houthi rebels have concentrated their maritime attacks. 

House Speaker Martin Romualdez paid tribute to the crew.

“Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of the Filipino seafarers who lost their lives in this senseless and tragic attack. Their dedication and sacrifices while serving aboard the M/V True Confidence will always be remembered and honored,” he said in a press statement.

The Philippines supplies many of the world’s seafarers – about 40,000 – who are among the country’s 10 million expatriate workforce. Overseas workers employed as maids, construction workers and in maritime industries support the nation’s economy by sending money back to their families.

A third incident involving Filipino sailors occurred late last year when 17 aboard the Galaxy Leader cargo ship were taken captive on Nov. 19, 2023, by Houthi rebels in the southern Red Sea following a helicopter-borne attack. The rebels continue to hold the Filipinos and other crew members.

Gerard Carreon in Manila contributed to this report.