Rescued Pinoy seafarers of MV Eternity C arrive in Saudi Arabia

Metro Manila, Philippines - Eight Filipino crew members of the MV Eternity C have arrived in Saudi Arabia and were taken into custody by Philippine authorities, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Tuesday, July 15.

The seafarers were among the survivors of the ill-fated Liberia-flagged and Greek-operated bulk carrier, which was attacked by Houthi militants off Yemen on July 7.

The DFA said they disembarked at the port city of Jizan and were in the joint custody of the Philippine Consulate General and the Migrant Workers’ Office in Jeddah, as well as their shipping agency.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac and Labor Attaché Fidel Macauyag talked with the seafarers through a teleconference call.

“The rescued Filseafarers will undergo mandatory medical assessment before their scheduled repatriation in the coming days,” the DFA said in its statement.

The agency also thanked Saudi Arabia “for extending visa considerations to the 8 Filseafarers on humanitarian grounds.”

Five of the seafarers were rescued on July 9, and another three the next day.

According to Reuters, the security firms tasked to search for the remaining 15 crew members have ended their operation. They are considered missing.

The crew consisted of 21 Filipinos and one Russian on board the vessel.

The DFA only said it “will update the public on significant developments on the Filseafarers of M/V Eternity C.”

Meanwhile, the DMW said it is “working on accounting for the 13 other seafarers onboard the MV Eternity C.”

“The DMW has conducted home visits to the families of the 13 seafarers, and assured them of fullest support and assistance as directed by the President,” it also said.

The DMW has suspended the license of the manning agency and its principal responsible for deploying Filipino seafarers to transit the high-risk Red Sea.