'Avoid Read Sea', Philippine govt tells mariners a day after rescue of 23 Filipinos

Manila: The Philippines on Friday urged its mariners to avoid the Red Sea as Yemen based Huthi rebels kept up their missile and drone attacks on mer...

Manila: The Philippines on Friday urged its mariners to "avoid" the Red Sea as Yemen-based Huthi rebels kept up their missile and drone attacks on merchant shipping in the vital waterway.

"Philippine nationals should avoid the area altogether unless absolutely necessary for their livelihood," the foreign ministry said, citing the "conflict escalation in the Red Sea that poses a clear and present danger to all Filipino seafarers working in the area".

The ministry said Filipino seafarers should exercise "prudent" judgement as well as their right to refuse to sail through the risky area.

The warning came a day after 23 Filipino and two Russian crew members were rescued from a Greek-flagged oil tanker that was hit by several projectiles off the port of Hodeida. The attack on the Sounion caused a fire and cut engine power.

The Red Sea, a key waterway between Europe and Asia, is one of the world's busiest cargo and oil transit points.