On 12/6/2024, the Liberian-flagged coal carrier MV Tutor, owned by a Greek company, was traversing the Red Sea en route from Russia to India. Like many cargo ships, its entire 22-member crew was Filipino.

It was Philippine Independence Day and a crew member's birthday. Captain Christian Domrique, 40, told his crew to expect "a feast in the afternoon."

Blas Dominic Ranque, the ship's cook, rose early to prepare Filipino favorites like grilled pork belly and sticky rice cakes. They skipped their usual karaoke, however, due to their location. "No singing allowed because we are in a dangerous area," Ranque said.

The MV Tutor crew prepares for their celebratory meal on 12/6/2024. Photo: WP

The MV Tutor crew prepares for their celebratory meal on 12/6/2024. Photo: WP

But festive anticipation quickly turned to panic. Emerson Loria, the 43-year-old chief officer, spotted a small motorboat speeding toward them from the ship's bridge. Small boats were common in the Red Sea, but Loria was alarmed when he saw through binoculars two motionless figures on board. He began filming.

One crewman said, "There's no one on it," while another suggested, "Those are just mannequins." Suddenly, the lookout yelled, "Get inside!"

It was a remote-controlled unmanned boat, rigged with two mannequins and explosives. It slammed into the stern, rocking the ship and shattering glass.

The MV Tutor crew spots the speedboat heading towards the ship. Video: Emerson Loria

The crew sent out a distress signal and scrambled for life jackets. Alarms blared as a crew member radioed, "We've been bombed." A frantic headcount revealed they were one man short: Nixon Asejo, the 54-year-old second engineer. Asejo had been in the engine room, which the unmanned boat had breached, flooding the multi-level space with seawater and oil.

Crew members shone flashlights into the engine room, calling Asejo’s name, but there was no response. "We couldn’t find him," Domrique said.

All they could do was pray. Meanwhile, the Houthis celebrated the attack online, claiming they had "inflicted serious damage and risked sinking the ship".

Houthi forces attack the cargo ship Tutor in the Red Sea on 12/6/2024. Video: Houthi

Before embarking on the 25-day journey from Russia to India, Domrique and his crew had prepared for pirates and rough seas. They had even practiced fire drills and man overboard rescues.

But they hadn’t prepared for missile or unmanned boat attacks. "We have armed guards for pirates. But the Houthis are not pirates. They use bombs and drones at sea and in the air. How can we fight against them?" Domrique said.

The crew huddled in stairwells and narrow corridors, believing these to be the ship's strongest points. They expected help within hours, but days passed.

Chief Officer Loria was so anxious he "couldn't stand up straight". Ranque couldn’t sleep, trembling in his bunk, fearing another attack. Loria's fear was realized. Hours after the initial blast, a missile struck the MV Tutor.

"We didn't know where to go. We didn't know where the Houthis were, underwater or in the sky," Domrique said. He didn't even know who the Houthis were and had no internet access to Google them. He estimated the crew’s chances of survival at "50-50."

The ship's electrician managed to start the emergency generator, restoring communication. The crew avoided the lower decks where months' worth of meat was stored, "afraid of the ghost of the missing Nixon Asejo." They mostly ate sardines and canned meat.

The captain had initially decided against sharing videos of the attack, fearing his mother would have a heart attack. But when the internet returned, crew members couldn't resist. Domrique said soon "everyone around the world knew what happened to my ship."

Loria messaged his younger brother: "If I don't make it back, please help my family get the insurance or compensation."

On 15/6, three days after the attack, the crew heard helicopters overhead. The US Navy arrived, rescuing them and transporting them to a US Navy cruiser before they eventually returned to Manila.

Asejo, the missing engineer, was never found. "Only his luggage came back," Loria said.

The MV Tutor reportedly sank a week after the attack.

The Houthis described the attack on the MV Tutor, a nearly 230-meter-long vessel with a deadweight of over 82,000 tons, and other cargo ships as an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the conflict between Israel and Hamas. They vowed to continue targeting ships "dealing" with Tel Aviv. The MV Tutor crew, however, maintained their ship had no connection to Israel.

Since the Gaza conflict began, the Houthis have launched over 145 attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, sinking at least 4. In July, the Houthis announced an escalation to the "fourth stage of the maritime blockade" against Israel, stating they would not stop until the war in Gaza ended.

The Philippines has over half a million citizens working on ships worldwide, representing 25% of the global maritime labor force. Many, like the crew of the MV Tutor, have endured Houthi attacks.

At least 8 sailors, mostly Filipinos, have been killed in three separate Houthi attacks. One crew with 17 Filipinos was held hostage on their ship for a year.

In July, the Houthis sank the cargo ships Magic Seas and Eternity C. Thirty-eight of the 44 crew members on the Eternity C were Filipino. The Houthis released a video showing 10 Eternity C sailors, 9 of them Filipino, being held hostage.

Smoke rises from the MV Tutor after being attacked by Houthi forces in the Red Sea on 12/6/2024. Photo: Reuters

Smoke rises from the MV Tutor after being attacked by Houthi forces in the Red Sea on 12/6/2024. Photo: Reuters

The Philippine government has warned companies to stop recruiting Filipinos for voyages through the Red Sea. Government officials have urged seafarers not to risk their lives for promises of double pay. Many, however, ignore the warnings.

Jacqueline Smith, a maritime coordinator with the International Transport Workers' Federation, said many sailors find it difficult to refuse requests. They receive double pay for each day worked in high-risk zones, including the Red Sea.

Refusal results in repatriation and two months' compensation. However, Smith noted sailors fear that if they choose this option, "the company will never hire them again." "There are plenty of reserves waiting to take their place to earn more money than they could at home," she said.

After their ordeal, the surviving MV Tutor crew members required therapy for trauma. Loria, a sailor with 15 years of experience, quit the profession despite having three children in school. He expressed outrage that companies continue sending crews through the Red Sea despite the risk of attacks.

Back at sea on a new ship last winter, Domrique recounted the attack that still haunts him to his new crew. He felt guilt over Asejo but also pride that the rest survived.

He drafted a "pledge" refusing to sail through the Red Sea and asked his crew to sign it. Domrique, directly responsible for navigating the ship, reasoned, "What can the ship owner do?"

Thuy Lam (According to Washington Post, Al Jazeera)