Minervagracht

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has confirmed that the Filipino, who died during the Houthi attack on the 'Minervagracht', was among 12 Filipino crew members who were not informed or consulted before their vessel entered the conflict-prone Gulf of Aden. DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said that the crew was denied their “right to refuse to sail,” a policy allowing Filipino seafarers to decline deployment through high-risk maritime zones such as the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. The ship’s management also failed to notify the DMW before entering the area, a mandatory requirement under existing safety protocols. Ten crew members have returned home, while one remains under medical care in Djibouti. Cacdac, together with Department of Foreign Affairs officials, the victim’s wife, and his sister, has proceeded to Ethiopia en route to Djibouti to oversee the repatriation of the deceased seafarer and to visit the injured Filipino crew member. The man who was fatally injured, had continued performing his duties during the attack, helping ensure his crew mates’ safety until the end. The DMW and DFA were coordinating with the ship’s owner and international maritime authorities to determine accountability and ensure the protection of all Filipino seafarers deployed in high-risk zones.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), part of the UN, has condemned the attack on the 'Minervagracht', which killed one Filipino crew member and injured another. "Attacks on international shipping must stop," said IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez:: “I am deeply saddened by the death of the crew member. I strongly condemn any form of attack against international shipping, regardless of its motivation or cause. These regrettable attacks in the Red Sea violate international law and freedom of navigation. Innocent seafarers and local communities are the primary victims of these attacks and the pollution they cause. Constructive dialogue is the solution to resolving the ongoing geopolitical crises affecting seafarers and international shipping.” The Yemeni Houthis have claimed the attack on Sep 29 and said a cruise missile was used. Two crew members were evacuated to a hospital in Djibouti, one of whom died on Oct 6. Philippine officials were on their way to Djibouti along with the dead sailor’s sister and wife. They will meet the shipowner and arrange for the repatriation of his remains, Migrant Workers Minister Hans Cacdac saidon Oct 8. The IMO called for an end to the attacks and a commitment to international dialogue. The Dutch shipping company Spliethoff said. "We are deeply concerned about this week's incident, which was a direct attack on our innocent seafarers and a violation of the right to free navigation." Spliethoff is currently working with international authorities and salvage experts to secure and salvage the vessel.

One crew member from the 'Minervagracht' has died as a result of injuries he sustained in the Houthi attack in the Gulf of Aden on Sep 29, the shipping company Spliethoff confirmed. The majority of the 19 crew members were now safely home, while one crew member was still undergoing treatment in Djibouti and was expected to be able to return home later this week. According to the security company EOS Risk Group, the incident was the third successful Houthi attack in 2025 and the first in the Gulf of Aden since July 2024. The EU-led Operation ASPIDES, which participated in the rescue operation, emphasized that the attacks were posing a serious threat to both the safety of sailors and freedom of navigation in the region. With this death, at least 14 sailors have now been killed as a result of Houthi attacks on merchant ships since 2023. In response, the Netherlands has called on the EU to classify the Houthis as a terrorist organization.

Ten Filipino crew members from the 'Minervagracht' were repatriated onOct 4. Two other Filipino crew members were injured in the attack on the ship, so that they cannot yet return home. The Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was at the airport to welcome the crew. He instructed the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and other government agencies to provide full support and reintegration assistance to the Filipino crew members affected by the attack. The returning seafarers received financial assistance from various agencies and funds. They also receive dfree training from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) if they wish to retrain, and housing assistance from their crew agency. The 19 crew members of the ship were coming from the Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Ukraine. The owner Spliethoff has previously stated that the entire crew was to be repatriated as soon as possible. Report with photo: https://nos.nl/artikel/2585390-tien-filipijnse-opvarenden-van-aangevallen-nederlandse-schip-gerepatrieerd

The 'Minervagracht' is currently being salvaged. It is unknown where the ship is being towed to "safe waters", according to the Amsterdam-based shipping company Spliethoff. The Houthis terrorists alleged that the ship's owner has violated the ban on access to ports in occupied Palestine. One crew member remained in the hospital in Djibouti with serious injuries, but the condition is stable. The ship's owner was rying to repatriate the rest of the crew as quickly as possible.

The Houthi-aligned Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) has designated 13 entities, nine individuals, and two vessels for sanctions related to US crude oil exports, according to a statement released on Sep 30. The sanctions were targeting major U.S. energy companies including ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Phillips 66, and Marathon Petroleum, along with their top executives, accusing them of violating a decree prohibiting the export of US crude oil. Among the individuals sanctioned were oil industry executives including Darren Wayne Woods of ExxonMobil, Michael Karl Wirth of Chevron, and Ryan Michael Lance of ConocoPhillips. The sanctions also target two crude oil tankers, the Marshall Islands-flagged 'Seaways San Saba' (IMO: 9593426), en route from Rotterdam to Georgetown as of Oct 1, and the 'Seaways Brazos' (IMO: 9594731), which arrived in Acu enroute from Canaport on Sep 30 ,which both were linked to the US-based Diamond S Shipping Inc. The HOCC liaises between Houthi forces and commercial shipping operators and is associated with the Houthi military. The Yemen-based terrorist group has also claimed responsibility for the attack on the 'Minervagracht'. On Sep 30, a Houthi spokesperson said the group targeted the vessel with a cruise missile over the shipowners’ violation of its ban on ports of "occupied Palestine".

On Sep 23, 2025, at 0320 a.m. LT the 'Minervagracht' has been targeted in the first attack in the Gulf of Aden for several weeks, its master reported. A missile landed about two nautical miles from the vessel 120 nautical miles east of the port city of Aden, according to British naval information centre UKMTO. There was a splash and sound of explosion in the vicinity of vessel. The ship and crew were reported safe and proceeding to next port of call. The authorities were investigating. Vessels were advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO. The 'Minervagracht' headed for its next port of call, Suez, with an ETA as of Sep 27. The ship has no known Israeli affiliations.