Nine Filipino seafarers held hostage by Yemen-based Houthi militants following an attack on the Eternity C are set to be released and transferred from Sana’a to Muscat, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed.
The DFA said it received confirmation of the imminent release from Omani authorities, following months of diplomatic engagement.
The Philippine Embassy in Muscat and the Migrant Workers Office-Muscat will now coordinate the safe and immediate repatriation of the seafarers to the Philippines, with the government also expressing its “sincerest appreciation” to the Sultanate of Oman for its mediatory role.
The Eternity C, a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier operated by a Greek company, was sailing through the Red Sea en route to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, when it came under repeated attack in July. The vessel was targeted using sea drones, rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire, and subsequently sank.
Onboard were 22 crewmembers, 21 of whom were Filipino. At least four crew members were killed in the assault, while others were reported missing or detained by the Houthis. The militant group later published footage of the attack, claiming it had “saved” an unspecified number of crew members and transported them to a secure location.
The attack on the Eternity C came shortly after the Houthis claimed responsibility for sinking another vessel, the Magic Seas, whose crew was successfully rescued.
