The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has confirmed that the Filipino seafarer who died aboard the Dutch-flagged cargo ship MV Minervagracht—attacked by Houthi rebels in the Gulf of Aden—was never given the chance to refuse the perilous voyage.
According to the DMW, the 12 Filipino crew members onboard were not consulted or allowed to exercise their “right to refuse to sail” before the vessel entered one of the world’s most dangerous maritime zones.
“It was clear they were ordered to sail without observing the procedure of asking them and giving them the choice not to go through the Gulf of Aden,” DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said on Wednesday.
A Life Lost, Others at Risk
The September 29 attack claimed the life of one Filipino seafarer. Ten others have since been repatriated to the Philippines, while another, a ship’s cook, is still recovering from his injuries in Djibouti.
Under DMW policy, Filipino seafarers may decline deployment if their ship is bound for the Gulf of Aden or Red Sea, where attacks have grown frequent. But initial findings show this crucial safeguard was ignored.
Cacdac also noted that the ship’s management may have violated other regulations, including its failure to notify the DMW before passing through conflict-prone waters.
“That is a major requirement—reporting to the DMW before going to the area—and they did not do it,” he stressed.
Heroism in the Face of Danger
Despite the chaos, reports suggest that the fallen seafarer kept performing his duties until the end, working on the starboard side—the very section of the vessel hit by rebel fire.
“We really do have courageous seafarers who will continue to serve onboard, even in the face of danger,” Cacdac said.
Standing with Families
Cacdac is currently in Ethiopia with the seafarer’s wife and sister, along with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs. They are traveling to Djibouti to oversee the repatriation of the victim’s remains and ensure that the injured crewman receives proper care.
“Our priority is to bring home the remains of the fallen, and to safely repatriate the recovering seafarer,” Cacdac emphasized.
Seeking Accountability
The DMW and DFA are now coordinating with the ship’s owner and international authorities to demand accountability and to push for stricter compliance with safety protocols.
For the DMW, this tragedy is not just about one lost life—it is a wake-up call to protect Filipino seafarers from being forced into danger without their consent.
