Seafarers from cargo ship attacked by Houthis rescued after 48 hours in water
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Rescuers save four more seafarers from Houthi-struck ship in Red Sea, 11 still missing
The Eternity C was the second Greek bulk carrier sunk this week by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia. The Houthis are believed to be holding six of the Eternity C’s complement of 22 crew and three guards, maritime security sources said. The United States’ Mission in Yemen has accused the Houthis of kidnapping crew members and has called for their immediate, unconditional release. The Eternity C sank on July 9, days after Houthis hit and sunk the Magic Seas, reviving a campaign launched in November 2023 that has seen more than 100 ships attacked in what the group said was solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza war. The cost of shipping goods through the Red Sea has more than doubled since this week’s attacks, industry sources said on July 10. The number of daily sailings through the narrow Bab al-Mandab strait has doubled since the attacks, with some underwriters pausing voyages for some voyages, they added. The Red Sea is a gateway to the Gulf of Aden and a critical route for oil and commodities to the world.
Crew members said to be from the cargo ship Eternity C are seen during a rescue operation, off Yemen, on July 9.
ATHENS/LONDON – Rescuers pulled three more crew members and a security guard alive from the Red Sea on July 10, maritime security sources said, a day after Houthi militants sank the Greek ship Eternity C and said they were holding some of the crew still missing.
It was the second Greek bulk carrier sunk this week by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia, shattering months of relative calm off Yemen’s coast, the gateway to the Red Sea and a critical route for oil and commodities to the world.
Many shipping companies have suspended voyages due to the fear of attack.
The Houthis are believed to be holding six of the Eternity C’s complement of 22 crew and three guards, maritime security sources said.
“These are blameless victims who were simply doing their job,” the UK-based Seafarers’ Charity association said.
“Seafarers should be able to work safely at sea. Instead, they are being unfairly forced into the firing line.”
Eternity C was first hit on July 7 with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speed boats.
Four people are believed to have been killed in the attacks, maritime security sources say.
If confirmed, the deaths would be the first fatalities in the area since June 2024.
Following a second attack on the morning of July 8, the crew were forced to jump into the water. Rescuers have been searching for survivors since the morning of July 9.
The vessel’s operator, Cosmoship Management, has not responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.
A total of 10 survivors from the Eternity C have been rescued so far – eight Filipino crew members, one Indian and one Greek security guard.
The four people rescued on July 10 had spent nearly 48 hours in the water.
“This fills us with more courage to continue to search for those missing, as the Greek vessel operator requested, and shows that our search plan was correct,” said Mr Nikos Georgopoulos, an official at the Greece-based maritime risk firm Diaplous.
Another 11 people are still missing.
A vessel said to be the Eternity C sinks in the Red Sea, in video footage released by Yemen’s Houthis on July 9. PHOTO: REUTERS
The United States’ Mission in Yemen has accused the Houthis of kidnapping crew members and has called for their immediate, unconditional release.
On July 9, the Houthis’ military spokesperson said in a televised address that the Yemeni navy had “responded to rescue a number of the ship’s crew, provide them with medical care, and transport them to a safe location”.
Fraught passage
The Eternity C sank on July 9, days after Houthis hit and sunk the Magic Seas, reviving a campaign launched in November 2023 that has seen more than 100 ships attacked in what the group said was solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza war.
Both of the vessels hit this week flew Liberian flags and were operated by Greek companies. All crew from the Magic Seas were rescued before it went down.
Some of their sister vessels in the respective fleets had made calls to Israeli ports in the past year, an analysis of shipping data showed.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi reiterated in a televised address on July 10 the group’s ban on companies transporting goods related to Israel through the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
He said this week’s attacks were part of that ban, which has been in place since 2023.
“It was never stopped or cancelled, and it is a valid decision,” he said. “What was discovered (this week) was the violation by some companies of the decision.”
The Eternity C was first hit on July 7 with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speed boats. PHOTO: REUTERS
The insurance cost of shipping goods through the Red Sea has more than doubled since this week’s attacks, with some underwriters pausing cover for some voyages, industry sources said on July 10.
The number of daily sailings through the narrow Bab al-Mandab strait, at the southern tip of the Red Sea and a gateway to the Gulf of Aden, was 32 vessels on July 9, down from 43 on July 1, Lloyd’s List Intelligence data showed.
Several ships on July 10 broadcast messages referring to Chinese crew and management or armed guards on board, according to MarineTraffic data.
One vessel broadcast that it had no relation with Israel. REUTERS
Four crew members killed as Houthi rebels sink cargo ship in Red Sea
At least four people have been killed and several others have been kidnapped by Houthi militants who attacked and sank a second cargo ship in the Red Sea this week. The Iran-aligned Houthis said they are holding some of the seafarers, and claimed responsibility for the attacks on cargo ship Eternity C. Six crew members were rescued after spending more than 24 hours in the water, security companies involved in a rescue operation said. The fate of 15 other crew members remains unknown. The United States Mission in Yemen accused the Houthis of kidnapping many surviving crew members from Eternity C and called for their immediate and unconditional safe release. The crew comprised of 21 Filipinos and one Russian. Three armed guards were also on board, including one Greek national and one Indian national, who was one of those rescued. All crew from the Magic Seas were rescued before it sank. The Houthis also attacked Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on Thursday with a ballistic missile.
At least four people have been killed and several others have been kidnapped by Houthi militants who attacked and sank a second cargo ship in the Red Sea this week.
Six crew members were rescued after spending more than 24 hours in the water, security companies involved in a rescue operation said, while the fate of 15 other crew members remains unknown.
“We will continue to search for the remaining crew until the last light,” said an official at Greece-based maritime risk management firm Diaplous.
open image in gallery Crew members said to be from cargo ship Eternity C, which sank after being attacked, are seen at sea during a rescue operation, off Yemen ( Handout )
The Iran-aligned Houthis said they are holding some of the seafarers, and claimed responsibility for the attacks on cargo ship Eternity C.
Eternity C was first attacked on Monday afternoon with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speed boats by suspected Houthi militants, maritime security sources said. Lifeboats were destroyed during the raid.
By Tuesday morning the vessel was adrift and listing, before being attacked again which forced the crew to abandon it. The ship sank on Wednesday morning.
open image in gallery This handout picture released by Yemen’s Houthi group reportedly shows the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Eternity C sinking after it was attacked by the Houthis at sea ( Huthi Ansarullah Media Centre )
The United States Mission in Yemen accused the Houthis of kidnapping many surviving crew members from Eternity C and called for their immediate and unconditional safe release.
“After killing their shipmates, sinking their ship, and hampering rescue efforts, the Houthi terrorists have kidnapped many surviving crew members of the Eternity C,” the mission said on X.
“The Houthis continue to show the world why the United States was right to label them a terrorist organisation.”
The crew comprised of 21 Filipinos and one Russian. Three armed guards were also on board, including one Greek national and one Indian national, who was one of those rescued.
open image in gallery Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Eternity C sinking after it was attacked by the Houthis at sea ( Huthi Ansarullah Media Centre )
The Houthis released a video they said depicted their attack on Eternity C. It included sound of a Yemen naval forces’ call for the crew to evacuate for rescue and showed explosions on the ship before it sank. The Independent could not verify the audio or the location of the ship.
“The Yemeni Navy responded to rescue a number of the ship’s crew, provide them with medical care, and transport them to a safe location,” the group’s military spokesperson said in a televised address.
The Houthis also have claimed responsibility for a similar assault on Sunday targeting another ship, the Magic Seas. All crew from the Magic Seas were rescued before it sank.
The strikes on the two ships revive a campaign by the Iran-aligned fighters who had attacked more than 100 ships from November 2023 to December 2024 in what they said was solidarity with the Palestinians.
open image in gallery Plumes of smoke rise from what is said to be Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier, the MV Magic Seas that was, according to Yemen’s Houthis, attacked following an alleged exchange with the captain, off southwest Yemen ( Huthi Ansarullah Media Centre )
In May, the US announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to shipping attacks, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel.
Leading shipping industry associations, including the International Chamber of Shipping and BIMCO, denounced the deadly operation and called for robust maritime security in the region via a joint statement on Wednesday.
“These vessels have been attacked with callous disregard for the lives of innocent civilian seafarers,” they said.
“This tragedy illuminates the need for nations to maintain robust support in protecting shipping and vital sea lanes.”
On Thursday, the Houthis said they had also attacked Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv with a ballistic missile.
The Israeli military said the missile from Yemen was intercepted after air raid sirens were triggered in several parts of the country.
With additional reporting from Reuters
Seafarers from cargo ship attacked by Houthis rescued after 48 hours in water
Thursday’s rescue brought the number of those saved to 10 – eight Filipino crew, one Indian security guard and a Greek guard. Four members of the 25-member crew – three Filipinos and one Russian – were killed in the Houthi attacks. Eleven people were still missing, six of whom are believed to have been kidnapped by the Houthis. “Their safety and swift release must be a priority for all involved,” said the head of intelligence at the UK-based maritime management company Vanguard Tech. � “We remain deeply concerned for the welfare of the crew members in the custody of the. Houthis, as well as for those currently unaccounted for,’ said Ellie Shafik, a head of security at the U.S. Embassy in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen.“We are now with grave concern seeing an escalation in the Red Sea, with attacks on two commercial ships, with civilian loss of life and casualties, as. well as the potential for environmental damage,“ said the UN special envoy to Yemen.
Thursday’s rescue brought the number of those saved to 10 – eight Filipino crew, one Indian security guard and a Greek guard.
Four members of the 25-member crew – three Filipinos and one Russian – were killed in the Houthi attacks. Eleven people were still missing, six of whom are believed to have been kidnapped by the Houthis, maritime security sources told Reuters.
“We remain deeply concerned for the welfare of the crew members in the custody of the Houthis, as well as for those currently unaccounted for,” said Ellie Shafik, the head of intelligence at the UK-based maritime risk management company Vanguard Tech. “Their safety and swift release must be a priority for all involved.”
The Eternity C was the second ship sunk by the Houthis this week, breaking a May ceasefire with the US that was predicated on an end to attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. Houthi forces also sank the Greek-owned Magic Seas on Sunday, but all the crew were rescued.
The last time the Houthis attacked a merchant ship was last December, coinciding with a Gaza ceasefire.
Hans Grundberg, the UN special envoy to Yemen, said: “We are now with grave concern seeing an escalation in the Red Sea, with attacks on two commercial ships, with civilian loss of life and casualties, as well as the potential for environmental damage.”
The US mission in Yemen accused the Houthis of kidnapping crew members and called for their release.
The Houthis first attacked the Eternity C on Monday with bombs, sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speedboats. Footage released by the Houthis showed a surface-to-surface missile being fired to screams of “death to Israel” and a large cloud of black smoke billowing from the Eternity C.
The ship was attacked again on Tuesday night, forcing the crew to jump into the water as Houthi skiffs circled the vessel.
View image in fullscreen The Eternity C sinking after the attack Photograph: Houthi handout/EPA
On Wednesday, the Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said its navy had rescued members of the ship’s crew, given them medical care and taken them to a “safe location”. The Houthis previously held the crew of another ship they attacked, the Galaxy Leader, for more than a year.
The Houthis have said their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians and a means of putting pressure on Israel to stop the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 57,000 people over the past 21 months.
The Houthi militia leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, said on Thursday that no company could be permitted to transport goods related to Israel through designated areas at sea.
He reiterated that a Houthi ban on navigation that the group sees as associated with Israel through the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea would remain in place.
The Houthis have also regularly launched ballistic missiles at Israel, the vast majority of which have been intercepted by Israel’s missile defence system.
Early on Thursday morning, the Houthis said they had attempted to hit Ben Gurion airport in Israel with a ballistic missile, which the Israeli military said it had intercepted.
The Houthis had threatened to resume maritime attacks on any Israeli-owned ships as the US considered firing missiles at Iran, which it eventually did on 22 June, striking three Iranian nuclear sites. The Iran-backed group then followed through on its threat by sinking the Magic Seas on Sunday and the Eternity C, neither of which were linked to Israel but which the Houthis claimed were heading to ports in the country.
It was unclear how the US would respond to this week’s attacks in the Red Sea, which not only interrupted months of calm in the area but were also the first time that the Houthis had killed seafarers in more than a year.
The Red Sea is a vital shipping route, carrying about a third of the world’s total container traffic. By the end of 2024, traffic through the Red Sea had declined by about 75%, according to the World Bank, a result of the Houthi attacks on shipping vessels starting in November 2023.
The resumption of attacks has caused anxiety among maritime merchants, with at least one Hong Kong-flagged ship, Blossom Glory, listing its destination as “NO ISRAEL US EU LINK” as it passed by Yemen on Tuesday. Other ships listed similar destination ports.
Seven crew rescued from cargo ship that sank in Red Sea after Houthi attack
Seven crew members of a cargo ship that sank in the Red Sea after an attack by Houthi forces have been rescued. At least four were killed and 14 others are still missing. The crew was made up of 21 Filipinos and one Russian, and the ship’s four armed guards included a Greek national. The Eternity C was badly damaged and sank off the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, which is under the control of the Houthis. The Houthis say they are targeting Israel-affiliated ships to show solidarity with Palestinians and to put pressure on the Israeli military to end its assault on Gaza. The Iran-backed group also claimed responsibility on Sunday for a similar attack targeting another vessel, the Magic Seas. Both of the ships that were attacked flew Liberia flags and were operated by Greek firms. They started in November 2023 but paused attacks in December 2024.
The seven seafarers from the cargo ship Eternity C spent more than 24 hours in the water before being rescued, according to security firms involved in the operation. Rescuers are still searching for missing crew members.
Eternity C was first attacked on Monday afternoon with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speedboats by Yemen-based Houthi militants, maritime security sources said. Two security sources said on Wednesday that the vessel was attacked again on Tuesday night, forcing the crew to jump into the water.
There were fears that some of the crew who jumped into the water may have been kidnapped by Houthis. Skiffs were in the area as the rescue efforts were under way.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and saying the vessel was heading towards Eilat in Israel. Their military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said: “The naval force of the Yemeni armed forces targeted the ship.”
The Iran-backed group also claimed responsibility on Sunday for a similar attack targeting another vessel, the Magic Seas. All crew from the Magic Seas were rescued before it sank.
The incidents signal a resumption of attacks by the Houthis on vessels in the Red Sea. They started in November 2023 but paused attacks in December 2024.
Both of the ships that were attacked flew Liberia flags and were operated by Greek firms. An official at the Greek-based maritime risk management firm Diaplous said: “We will continue to search for the remaining crew until the last light. We aim at a peaceful operation.”
Four Eternity C crew members – one Russian and three Filipinos – were killed in the attack, a representative of UK Maritime Trade Operations said.
The crew was made up of 21 Filipinos and one Russian, and the ship’s four armed guards included a Greek national.
The UK-based security firm Ambrey told AFP that the Eternity C was badly damaged and sank off the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, which is under the control of the Houthis.
The halt in attacks in December coincided with the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza. The Houthis pledged to stop attacks on all but Israeli-owned vessels. The group later threatened to target Israeli vessels after Israel withdrew from the Gaza ceasefire in mid-March, which prompted a US bombing campaign in Yemen.
The Houthis and the US agreed to a ceasefire in May after months of US bombings, in exchange for the Houthis agreeing to keep shipping lanes open. In late June, the Houthis indicated they could resume attacks on Israeli ships in the Red Sea if the US struck Iran, the group’s chief patron.
Donald Trump struck three Iranian nuclear facilities on 22 June, which the Houthis condemned. They vowed to continue their resistance.
The Houthis say they are targeting Israel-affiliated ships to show solidarity with Palestinians and to put pressure on the Israeli military to end its assault on Gaza.
After Sunday’s attack, the Houthis said ships owned by companies linked to Israel were a legitimate target and they pledged to continue targeting Israeli-affiliated ships “until the aggression against Gaza stops and the blockade is lifted”.
While neither the Magic Seas nor Eternity C were Israeli-owned, they had docked in the country in the past.
The US state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said after the attack on Tuesday: “These attacks demonstrate the ongoing threat that Iran-backed Houthi rebels pose to freedom of navigation and to regional economic and maritime security.”
The Eternity C’s operator, Cosmoship Management, has not responded to requests for confirmation of casualties or injuries.
Greek government officials have been in diplomatic talks with Saudi Arabia, a key player in the region, over the incident, according to sources.
The deaths are the first involving attacks on shipping in the Red Sea since June 2024.
Germany summons Chinese envoy over laser-targeting of surveillance plane
The German foreign ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Berlin. A Chinese warship used a laser to target a German aircraft taking part in an EU operation helping to protect shipping in the Red Sea. A German defence ministry spokesperson said the aircraft involved in the incident earlier this month was a multi-sensor platform plane. Known as a “flying eye” for its wide-range surveillance capabilities over the sea, it is piloted by civilians with military personnel on board. The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the summoning of its ambassador, Deng Hongbo. The EU established the Aspides mission in February 2024 as a defensive maritime security operation to safeguard Red Sea navigation.
“The endangerment of German personnel and disruption of the operation are completely unacceptable,” the ministry said on X.
A German defence ministry spokesperson said the aircraft involved in the incident earlier this month was a multi-sensor platform plane. Known as a “flying eye” for its wide-range surveillance capabilities over the sea, it is piloted by civilians with military personnel on board.
The aircraft was conducting a “routine operation flight over the Red Sea” when it was “targeted by a laser without reason or prior contact by a Chinese warship that had already been encountered several times in the sea area”, the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “By using the laser, the warship accepted risk to people and property.”
As a precaution, the flight was called off and the aircraft returned safely to its base in Djibouti. No one was hurt. The defence spokesperson said flights had resumed.
The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the summoning of its ambassador, Deng Hongbo.
Iran-backed Houthi militants have been attacking Israel and vessels in the Red Sea in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians of Gaza. Two seafarers were killed in a Houthi attack on Tuesday.
The EU established the Aspides mission – from the ancient Greek word “shields” – in February 2024 as a defensive maritime security operation to safeguard Red Sea navigation. Aspides officials referred queries to the German government.
The German military’s parliamentary mandate sets a maximum deployment of 700 personnel.
Der Spiegel, a German news outlet, reported that the incident off the coast of Yemen involved a German reconnaissance plane stationed in Djibouti that had been chartered for the operation. It can carry up to four soldiers.
According to the report, the laser incident occurred when the aircraft approached a Chinese frigate. Breaking with common practice, the crew of the Chinese ship allegedly did not establish contact via a distress frequency.
It was not immediately clear whether the German plane sustained any damage and it was being inspected, according to Der Spiegel. The incident has meant there is little air traffic in the region.
It was not the first time the Chinese military has been accused of using lasers against western forces, a move that can temporarily blind pilots and affect aircraft electronics systems.
In 2018, the Pentagon accused Chinese nationals of shining military-grade laser pointers at US pilots operating out of the US base in Djibouti, which is used for counter-terrorism operations in east Africa and Yemen.
In one case, two pilots on a C-130 cargo plane reportedly suffered minor eye injuries as they came in to land at the base.
Washington issued a formal diplomatic complaint while Beijing denied involvement.
China opened a naval base in Djibouti in 2017 close to the US facility – the first overseas post for its rapidly expanding armed forces.