8 Filipino seafarers rescued from sunken MV Eternity C arrive in Saudi Arabia

Eight of the 21 Filipino seafarers from the MV Eternity C, which sank off the coast of Yemen after an attack by Houthi militants, have arrived in Saudi Arabia.

They disembarked at the port city of Jizan and are now under the custody of the Philippine government, specifically the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, the Migrant Workers' Office-Jeddah, and their shipping agency.

The rescued seafarers will undergo a mandatory medical assessment before their scheduled repatriation in the coming days.

The DFA expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for extending visa considerations on humanitarian grounds.

Four people are presumed dead from the sea incident, while six were reported abducted, though the Philippine government has yet to confirm these details and the nationalities of any fatalities.

Search and rescue operations continue for the 13 Filipino seafarers still missing from the vessel.

The DFA and the DMW are collaborating with other agencies and embassies in the Middle East and London in the ongoing search efforts.