TWO Filipino seafarers were killed after a Saudi Arabia‑flagged oil tanker was struck by unknown projectiles while approaching the Strait of Hormuz, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed.
According to Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, the tanker Sidr was carrying 16 Filipino crew members when the attack occurred off the coast of Oman. The vessel reportedly caught fire following the impact, which the crew worked courageously to contain, but the blaze proved fatal to two of their fellow seafarers.
Secretary Cacdac confirmed that the remaining 14 Filipino crew members are safe and accounted for after the damaged ship docked in Oman. The bodies of the two victims have been recovered and brought ashore as the DMW continues to gather full details regarding the incident. The department also said it will soon meet with the families of the deceased to provide assistance and support as they navigate this difficult loss.
Preliminary information indicates the tanker had departed from the east coast of the United Arab Emirates and was heading toward the Strait of Hormuz when it came under attack. Cacdac noted that the vessel appeared to be in international waters off Oman en route to the strait when the projectiles struck. The DMW is coordinating with authorities and the shipping company to establish the full circumstances of the attack and ensure the welfare and safe return of the surviving Filipino crew members.
metrosundaily
