DMW: All 15 Filipino crew of vessel struck by drone attack near Red Sea are safe

All 15 Filipino crew members of a marine vessel hit by a drone attack near the Red Sea are safe and have been accounted for, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

In a statement released on Saturday, DMW said the "Al Jasrah," a container ship, was struck by missiles in a drone attack orchestrated by Yemeni Houthi rebels on Friday, December 15, 2023, as it was crossing the Bab al Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

"The DMW was informed by the ship’s manning agency and its shipping company that all members of the crew, including 15 Filipino seafarers, are safe and accounted for," the statement read. 

DMW said Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac already issued instructions to the department’s Sea-Based Operations Units to monitor the situation and work closely with the vessel’s manning and shipping company to assure the safety of the Filipino seafarers. —Sherylin Untalan/ VAL, GMA Integrated News