Muscat: The nine Filipino crew members of the ill-fated M/V Eternity C held captive by the Houthis will soon be released, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday. In a statement, the DFA confirmed it received the news from authorities in the Sultanate of Oman, who are aiding in facilitating the release of the Filipino seafarers.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DFA has not specified a timeline for the release or repatriation of the nine crew members. However, plans are in place to transfer them from Sana’a, Yemen, to Muscat, Oman. The Philippine Embassy in Muscat, along with the Migrant Workers Office-Muscat, is arranging for their safe and immediate return to the Philippines.
The DFA expressed its gratitude to the Sultanate of Oman for their assistance. DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro has personally raised the issue with her Omani counterpart, Foreign Minister Sayed Badr bin Hamad El-Busaidi, during a bilateral meeting in July and a subsequent phone call in November.
The nine crew members were taken hostage after their vessel sank following a drone attack by the Houthis in July. The M/V Eternity C was carrying 22 crew members, 21 of whom were Filipinos, when it was attacked in the Red Sea. Eight crew members have been rescued, three were reported dead, and one remains unaccounted for.
