Filipino Seafarer Missing After Missile Strike Hits Tugboat Assisting Distressed Ship Near Strait Of Hormuz

A Filipino seafarer has been reported missing after a tugboat assisting a distressed vessel was hit by missiles in waters near the Strait of Hormuz.

Philippine authorities confirmed the incident on March 10 and said search efforts are ongoing in the high-risk maritime corridor.

The attack has raised concerns about the safety of crews operating in the region, as tensions in the Gulf continue to affect one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

According to the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the missing seafarer was part of the crew aboard the UAE-registered tugboat Musaffah 2.

The vessel had been sent to assist the Malta-flagged container ship Safeen Prestige, which had been struck by a missile earlier and left stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

Per reports, the tugboat was hit by at least two projectiles on March 6 while carrying out the assistance mission.

The vessel caught fire and later sank. Most of the crew members were rescued, but one Filipino seafarer remains missing.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the agency has already contacted the seafarer’s family and is providing support while search and rescue operations continue. Officials also visited the family’s home to assure them of assistance.

The missing crew member was identified by his family as George Francis Miranda, a 46-year-old motorman and oiler from Capalonga in Camarines Norte.

His family said Miranda last contacted them on March 5 when he sent a video message to his seven-year-old child and mentioned that the tugboat was operating in a dangerous area.

The Department of Migrant Workers said around 6,400 Filipino seafarers working on ships across the Middle East have been monitored and confirmed safe.

Authorities said they continue tracking vessels carrying Filipino crew members near the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman.

The agency recently issued DMW Advisory No. 11, series of 2026, declaring the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman as “Warlike Operations Areas.”

The advisory follows guidance from the Warlike Operations Area Committee under the International Bargaining Forum.

Under the advisory, Filipino seafarers have the right to refuse sailing to high-risk areas.

Shipowners are also required to implement stronger security measures and provide proper compensation and benefits for crews working in conflict zones.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key maritime route that normally handles about 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Data from maritime analytics firm Kpler shows that tanker traffic through the strait has dropped by about 90 percent within a week as ship operators reassess the risks of sailing through the area.

References: PNA, GMA Network