Nine Filipino seafarers to be freed after Houthi capture in Red Sea

Nine Filipino crew members of the cargo ship M/V Eternity C, which was sunk by Yemen’s Houthis in the Red Sea in July, are set to be released, according to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and local sources.

The seafarers survived the attack on the Liberian-flagged vessel, one of two commercial ships targeted within days. The Houthis initially released a video of the attack, claiming they had “rescued” an unspecified number of crew members and moved them to a secure location.

The DFA confirmed that Oman informed Philippine authorities that the nine Filipinos would be transferred from Sanaa, Yemen, to Muscat, Oman, before returning home. The release followed diplomatic efforts by Oman in cooperation with the Philippine government. DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro personally discussed the seafarers’ plight with her Omani counterpart, Foreign Minister Sayed Badr bin Hamad El-Busaidi, during a bilateral meeting in July and again in a phone call in November.

The Philippine Embassy in Muscat and the Migrant Workers Office-Muscat will coordinate the safe and immediate return of the seafarers. The DFA expressed its sincere appreciation to the Sultanate of Oman for its efforts.

The July sinkings of the Eternity C and Magic Seas ended a months-long lull in Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, which the group claims target Israel-linked vessels in solidarity with Palestinians. These attacks have disrupted a key route that carries around 12% of global trade.