Fifteen Filipino seafarers on board the Liberian-flagged vessel, the Al Jasrah, were found to be safe and accounted for after it was struck by drone missiles in the Bab al Mandeb Strait near the Red Sea.

In a statement, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said the 15 Filipino crew members of the Al Jasrah were unharmed by the missile attack by drones allegedly orchestrated by Yemeni Houthi rebels last Friday.

"The DMW was informed by the ship’s manning agency and its shipping company that all members of the crew, including 15 Filipino seafarers, are safe and accounted for," said DMW Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac.

He said he has issued instructions to the department’s sea-based operations units to monitor the situation.

Last Friday, a drone missile struck Al Jasrah, causing a fire that was eventually extinguished. The ship was crossing the Bab al Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. DMS