Vice President Sara Duterte expressed deep sympathy to the families of the Filipino crew members who were reportedly killed in the recent Houthi missile strike on a commercial vessel in the Red Sea.
In a video statement released on Friday, Duterte extended her condolences to the families of the three overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who perished aboard the MV Eternity C.
“Ipinapaabot ko, kasama ang buong Tanggapan ng Pangalawang Pangulo, ang aming pakikipagdalamhati sa pamilya ng tatlo nating kababayan na OFW seafarers na namatay sakay ng MV Eternity C,” she said.
She also offered prayers for justice and the safety of those still missing. “Aming pinagdarasal ang hustisya para sa kanilang tatlo at kaligtasan ng kanilang mga kasamahan,” she added.
The Eternity C, a Greek-operated cargo ship flying under a Liberian flag, suffered engine damage after being struck in an attack linked to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels on July 7. The vessel carried 22 crew members, including 21 Filipinos and one Russian.
According to Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac, three more Filipinos have been rescued, bringing the total number of survivors to eight. However, 13 Filipino crew members are still unaccounted for. Cacdac added that four deaths have yet to be officially confirmed.
Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affairs said that two Filipino seafarers were “most likely” killed in the incident, though efforts to verify the identities and the circumstances surrounding the casualties continue.
