Two Filipino crew members were among those killed in a missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on a ship in the Gulf of Aden, the Philippine government said on Thursday.
The Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting merchant vessels transiting the vital Red Sea trade route for months but Wednesday’s deaths were the first reported fatalities resulting from such an attack.
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“The Department of Foreign Affairs expresses its sincere condolences to the families of the two Filipino crew members of the civilian bulk carrier True Confidence, which was the subject of a missile attack from Houthi rebels in Yemen,” the Ministry said in a statement.
The Indian Navy rescued 21 of the ship’s crew, including 13 Filipinos, the statement added.
The missile struck the ship’s fuel tanks, causing a fire and killing the two Filipinos and injuring two other compatriots among others, Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Hans Cacdac said in an interview.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree wrote on social media that the True Confidence was targeted with missiles “after the ship’s crew rejected warning messages” from the rebels.
Manila is still seeking the release of 17 Filipinos taken hostage by the Houthis in November.
