14 Filipino Seafarers Rescued After Drone Strike Sinks Ship, 1 Still Missing
Photo caption: Group photo shared by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) showing the 14 Filipino seafarers rescued by Bulgarian authorities after a drone strike sank their container ship on Oct. 28 who landed in Manila on Nov. 2. DMW data showed 236 Filipino seafarers on 17 commercial vessels had been hit by drone and missile strikes in the Black Sea near Ukrainian ports, leaving three dead, 15 injured and one missing./Photo by: DMW
MANILA – Fourteen Filipino seafarers who survived a drone attack on a Liberian-flagged container ship were due to return to the Philippines on Monday, 02 Nov. 2026.
They were among 18 crew members rescued by Bulgarian authorities after the vessel was struck by a drone and sank on Oct. 28 while traveling from Haifa, Israel, to Constanta, Romania.
The incident is the latest in a long run of attacks on ships, often crewed by Filipinos.
In the Black Sea, DMW data showed that 17 commercial vessels carrying 236 Filipino seafarers were hit by drone and missile strikes near Ukrainian ports, leaving three dead, 15 injured and one missing.
The DMW called on shipowners and manning agencies to reroute vessels away from high-risk and warlike areas, including the Black Sea.
The danger extends beyond the Black Sea. In the Strait of Hormuz, an Aug. 31 attack on the Saudi-flagged tanker Sidr killed two Filipino crew members, while 14 others returned home safely.
In May, seven Filipino seafarers were injured in a suspected drone attack in the Strait of Hormuz.
For the returning crew, the government provides financial and medical aid through the DMW and OWWA.
The 14 were apparently in good condition. The vessel’s name and owner was not immediately included in the report.
Filipino seafarers form a large share of global shipping, so wars in the Black Sea, Hormuz and the Red Sea repeatedly place them in harm’s way, forcing the DMW to push rerouting and repatriation.
Sailors are among the highest-earning OFWs. Attacks threaten lives and livelihoods and could weigh on the Philippines’ standing as a preferred crew source.
What’s next
OWWA is expected to provide aftercare for the returnees, while the DMW ramps up pressures on manning agencies to avoid war-risk routes, and possible new advisories as drone attacks continue.
