Manila, July 20 -- Two Filipino seafarers have been killed, 12 were injured, and one remains missing after a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea amid heightened tension due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

In a media briefing on Monday, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the department has monitored a "significant escalation of security incidents" over the past two weeks involving commercial ships operating in the Black Sea.

"We have noted that there are commercial vessels with Filipino seafarers operating within the Black Sea. And it is an area covered by the International Bargaining Forum as a higher risk and warlike area and designated as well by the DMW in an issuance as a warl...