Filipino Seafarer Dies From Injuries A Week After Houthi Attack On Cargo Ship

A Filipino crew member of the Dutch cargo ship Minervagracht has died from injuries sustained during a Houthi missile attack in the Gulf of Aden, Amsterdam-based operator Spliethoff confirmed on Monday night.

The company said in a statement that the seafarer, who had been receiving treatment in a hospital in Djibouti since the September 29 attack, succumbed to his injuries a week later.

Spliethoff expressed condolences to the family and said it was providing full support to the affected crew members.

According to the company, another injured seafarer remains under medical care in Djibouti, but his condition is stable and he is expected to return home later this week.

The Minervagracht, sailing under the Dutch flag, was struck by an explosive device while transiting through international waters about 128 nautical miles southeast of Yemen’s port city of Aden. The impact caused a fire and serious structural damage to the ship’s accommodation block, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.

European naval forces under Operation ASPIDES carried out the rescue, supported by the Greek frigate HS Spetsai and a French frigate. A helicopter was used to airlift 19 seafarers from the burning vessel. The crew, made up of Russian, Ukrainian, Filipino and Sri Lankan nationals, were taken to Djibouti for medical assistance and repatriation.

Ten Filipino crew members reached the Philippines on 4 October, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed. Most of the remaining crew have also been repatriated, while efforts to secure and safeguard the abandoned ship are ongoing.

This was the second time within a week that the Minervagracht had come under fire. On 23 September, the ship had reported an explosion nearby while en route to Djibouti, about 120 nautical miles east of Aden.

Maritime security analysts from EOS Risk Group said the strike was the third successful Houthi attack in 2025 and the first in the Gulf of Aden since July 2024.

The Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen claimed responsibility for the assault, saying it was part of their campaign targeting vessels linked to Israel. However, the US Navy’s Joint Maritime Information Center clarified that the Minervagracht had no connections to Israel.

The Minervagracht attack occurred some distance from the Red Sea, where two other ships were sunk by Houthi missiles in July. The European Union Naval Force said such attacks endanger both freedom of navigation and the lives of seafarers working in the region.

The Netherlands has since urged the European Union to list Yemen’s Houthis as a terrorist organisation, calling for stronger action to protect commercial shipping routes.

The Houthis began attacking merchant and naval vessels in late 2023, claiming to act in solidarity with Palestinians amid the conflict in Gaza. They have since launched more than 100 missile and drone attacks on ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

References: timesofisrael, dutchtimes

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