Philippines issues Red Sea travel warning following Houthi attacks

• The foreign ministry advises Filipino seafarers to exercise caution and refuse sailing due to the risks.
• The attack on the Sounion caused a fire and cut engine power.
• The Sounion is the ninth ship with Filipino crew members attacked by the Houthi rebels.

On Friday, the Philippines urged its mariners to “avoid” the Red Sea as Houthi rebels based in Yemen continued their deadly missile and drone attacks on merchant shipping in the vital waterway.

“Philippine nationals should avoid the area altogether unless necessary for their livelihood,” the foreign ministry said, citing the “conflict escalation in the Red Sea that poses a clear and present danger to all Filipino seafarers working in the area.”

The foreign ministry advised Filipino seafarers to “exercise prudent choice” and their “right to refuse sailing” due to the risks. This warning followed the rescue of 23 Filipino and two Russian crew members from a Greek-flagged oil tanker, which was hit by several projectiles off the rebel-held Yemeni port of Hodeida on Wednesday.

The attack on the Sounion caused a fire and cut engine power. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack, asserting that it supports Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war. The Philippines, a major supplier of mariners to the global shipping industry, has been affected by these threats to international shipping.

Manila announced Thursday that the Sounion was the ninth ship with Filipino crew members attacked by the Houthis. One Filipino remains missing from a Red Sea attack on the MV Tutor in June, while 17 Filipino crew members of the Galaxy Leader have been held captive by the Houthis since the ship was seized last November.

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