Two Filipino seafarers killed, 14 safe after oil tanker hit near Strait of Hormuz
Photo: Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac visited the family of a Filipino seafarer who died in the Strait of Hormuz in Cabuyao, Laguna, on September 3, 2026, to convey the government’s condolences and ensure that the family receives the necessary assistance./DMW Facebook
MANILA — Two Filipino seafarers have died following an attack on a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed the fatalities during an online press briefing. According to DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, the vessel—identified as the crude carrier M/V SIDR, operated by Saudi Arabia's national shipping company Bahri—was hit by "unidentified projectiles" late in the evening.
The impact triggered a fire on board. Sixteen Filipino crew members were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident. While the crew managed to contain the blaze, two Filipino seafarers lost their lives. The remaining 14 Filipino crew members survived unharmed.
The damaged vessel was subsequently grounded off the coast of Oman. Omani authorities assisted in disembarking the surviving crew members and bringing ashore the remains of the two deceased seafarers.
The Philippine Embassy and the Migrant Workers Office in Oman are coordinating with local authorities, the vessel's principal, and its licensed manning agency to arrange the immediate repatriation of the 14 surviving crew members, as well as the return of the deceased seafarers' remains.
The DMW assured the families of the victims that full government assistance, contract-mandated compensation, insurance proceeds, and survivor benefits will be provided.
The incident comes amid heightened security alerts in the region, with the Philippine government maintaining a red alert status for the Strait of Hormuz, designating it a high-risk, war-like zone. The DMW reiterated its policy urging shipowners to allow seafarers to exercise their right to refuse sailing through designated high-risk maritime routes.
