Nine stranded Filipino seafarers return home

Nine Filipino seafarers stranded at the Ras Isa Port in Yemen have returned home to the Philippines as the conflict in the country increasingly intensifies, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

In a statement Tuesday, the DMW said the seafarers were crew members of MV Rival, a vessel that had been stuck at Ras Isa Port amid ongoing tensions between Houthi rebels and a Saudi-led coalition.

DMW Assistant Secretary Levinson Alcantara, along with Director Augusto B. San Diego III and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) officials, met the returning seafarers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The agency said the crew will receive necessary assistance such as financial aid, temporary accommodation, and access to medical and psychological support.

Ras Isa Port has become increasingly dangerous for maritime traffic as the Yemen conflict spills over into vital shipping corridors. The presence of Houthi missile systems and retaliatory airstrikes by Western forces has made it one of the most hazardous ports in the region.

In a related development, DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac will continue to lead the agency after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declined to accept his resignation. Cacdac said he remains committed to serving overseas Filipino workers.

“This renewed vigor is a motivation to continually dedicate myself in the service of our beloved overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families,” he added.