Migrante Netherlands is calling for justice for the Filipino crew member who died on board the MV Minervagracht after the ship came under attack on September 29 while sailing through the Gulf of Aden in Yemen. Despite warnings from the Houthi group against vessels passing through these waters, logistics companies continue to send their ships through the area.

Another Filipino seafarer was injured. The ten surviving crew members have all returned to the Philippines.

The vessel is owned by Bevrachtingskantoor B.V., part of the Spliethoff company, one of the largest shipping firms in the Netherlands.

According to the group, Spliethoff bears major accountability for the death of the Filipino seafarer. The company has the duty to guarantee the safety, well-being, and rights of its crew.

“It is unacceptable that the seafarers aboard the Minervagracht were placed in grave danger without consultation or the opportunity to exercise their fundamental ‘right to refuse to sail’ which is an egregious breach of safety protocols and workers’ rights,” the group explained.

The tragedy underscores the vulnerability and risks faced by migrant seafarers, especially Filipinos, who make up one-fourth of the global maritime workforce. Despite being the backbone of the trade industry, they continue to face isolation, job insecurity, unsafe working conditions, and abuse.

According to state records, in 2024, 273 Filipino seafarers were abandoned by their companies. Globally, Filipinos rank as the fourth most frequently abandoned nationality at sea over the past five years.

Although Spliethoff has direct accountability for the incident involving its vessel, the Philippine government also bears significant responsibility. The group said that as long as the US-Marcos regime continues to enforce its labor export policy that pushes Filipinos to accept dangerous and precarious work, they will remain vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, and even death while working far from their families and homeland.

“We demand that the Philippine government end its exploitative labor export program and build an economy that provides decent, dignified employment for Filipinos at home,” said Migrante Netherlands.