Houthi Attack Leaves Philippine Crew Stranded in Red Sea

The Greek-owned vessel 'Tutor', carrying a mostly Filipino crew, was severely damaged by Yemeni Houthi militants' attack near the port of Hodeidah. While most crew members are safe, one sailor remains missing. Rescue and salvage efforts are being coordinated, with U.S. and French vessels set to assist.

The crew of a Greek-owned vessel Tutor that was damaged in an attack by Yemeni Houthi militants in the Red Sea should be rescued within the day although one sailor is still missing, the Philippines said on Friday. The attack near the Yemeni port of Hodeidah on Wednesday caused severe flooding and damage to the engine room and left the Tutor, a Liberia-flagged coal carrier, unable to manouvre. It was taking in water and was in need of rescue.

The Iran-aligned Houthi militants have taken responsibility for the boat and missile attack on the Tutor. The Houthis have made repeated drone and missile strikes on ships in the shipping channels of the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden since November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war. The 22 crew members on board are mostly Filipino, Hans Cacdac, the Philippines Department of Migrant Workers Secretary, told a press conference in Manila.

"Rescue is forthcoming within the day," he said, adding that he could not disclose further information for security reasons. The missing crew member was suspected to be trapped in the engine room, maritime sources said. The rest of the crew were "safe and sound" and had adequate food supplies, Cacdac said, citing the captain.

"Right now, we are still in the process of trying to ascertain or trying to account for the particular seafarer in that ship. We are praying we could find him," Cacdac said. The ship's Athens-based manager Evalend Shipping has not responded to Reuters' requests for comment.

One of the sources said that U.S and French vessels would try to evacuate the crew, who would be eventually transferred to Bahrain, and that efforts to salvage the vessel would follow.

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