DMW: 17 Houthi-held Filipino seafarers still 'safe and sound'

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac on Tuesday assured the public that the 17 Filipino seafarers being held captive by the Houthi rebels since November last year remain safe, while the Philippine government continues coordination for their possible release.

At the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum, Cacdac said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is still currently undertaking efforts to secure the release of the Filipino crew members of the MV Galaxy Leader which was seized last November.

“We know na may coordination na, may pakikipagusap na sa mga [there is already coordination with the] governments that have communication lines with the Houthis who are holding the 17 [seafarers],” he said.

"We know they are safe and sound. Still at this stage, they are on board the ship. However, we still are coordinating with the DFA on [their] safe, eventual release nila,” he added.

In November 2023, the DFA announced that the 17 Filipino seafarers were among the foreigners held hostage when Yemen's Houthis seized a cargo ship in the southern Red Sea.

Though it is not the first time that Filipino seafarers have been held hostage overseas, the DFA said the Philippine government is paying extra attention to the incident as it is said to be connected to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants.

The Houthis have launched a campaign of attacks on vessels in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes since November in solidarity with the Palestinians during Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News