Body of missing seaman needs to be found – DMW

THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) yesterday said it wants to first see the body of the missing Filipino crewman of M/V Tutor which was attacked by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea last week, before making any conclusion.

The US National Security Council on Tuesday said a Filipino seafarer was killed in the attack.

Twenty-one of the 22 Filipino crewmen of the cargo vessel have been rescued and they returned to Manila last Monday. One was declared missing.

“For the missing seafarer, he will remain missing and there will be a search operation for him,” Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a radio interview.

“From our point of view, we need to see him before we can make any conclusions regarding his fate,” he added.

Cacdac said they are relying on the forthcoming search operations to be conducted on the ill-fated vessel, in finding the missing seafarer. He said they have been informed that the search operations will begin as soon as the ship is taken to a port.

He said based on information received by the DMW, the missing Filipino was in the engine room when the attack occurred.

“So that is one place where the search will begin,” he said.

The DMW has not yet confirmed the information from the US. On Tuesday, it said it remained hopeful he is still alive.