Survivors Sought as Houthi Attacks Sink Two Cargo Ships in Red Sea

Sun Sep 14 2025 06:00:03 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A second cargo ship has been sunk by Yemen's Houthis in just a week, prompting urgent search efforts for survivors amid escalating maritime violence.

Following the sinking of the Eternity C, a Liberian-flagged cargo ship, the Houthi rebels have intensified their attacks in the Red Sea, claiming to target vessels linked to Israel. As multiple countries respond to the crisis, the international community faces renewed calls for diplomatic interventions to ensure maritime safety.

Ten crew members have been rescued and at least three others killed after a cargo ship attacked by Yemen's Houthis sank in the Red Sea, according to reports from a European naval mission. The Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated Eternity C was carrying a total of 25 crew when it was struck by rocket-propelled grenades fired from small boats on Monday, leading to severe damage and loss of propulsion, according to the UK's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency. The attack persisted into Tuesday, prompting overnight rescue operations.

The Iran-backed Houthis claimed they targeted the Eternity C because it was allegedly en route to Israel, asserting that they relocated an unspecified number of crew members to a "safe location." However, reactions from the US embassy in Yemen indicated that many surviving crew members were effectively kidnapped and demanded their immediate return. Among the crew, authorities confirmed that 21 were from the Philippines, with one Russian national critically injured in the attack, reportedly losing a leg.

In total, the European Union's naval mission, Operation Aspides, reported that four additional people were rescued on Wednesday, boosting the number of survivors to ten. A Greek-based maritime security firm, Diaplous, shared visuals of the resounding rescue efforts which included seafarers who had endured over 24 hours in the water. They stated their commitment to continue searching for the remaining crew "until the last light." Meanwhile, media reports suggest the death toll may have risen to four.

This incident marks the second vessel sunk by the Houthis in merely a week. Just days prior, on Sunday, the group launched missiles and drones targeting another Liberian-flagged cargo ship, the Magic Seas, which they described as belonging to a company violating an entry ban to ports controlled by Israel. Remarkably, all 22 crew members of the Magic Seas were rescued by a passing ship.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have escalated assaults on merchant vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, targeting around 70 ships using a combination of missiles and drones along with small boat attacks. They have sunk four vessels, seized one, and resulted in a minimum of seven crew member fatalities. The Houthis maintain their actions support the Palestinian cause in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and assert they specifically target vessels connected with the US or UK maritime operations.

The US State Department has condemned these latest attacks, underlining the threat posed by Houthi rebels to navigation freedom and maritime security, insisting such terrorist actions must be condemned globally. In light of these developments, Israel's military has recently reported intercepting a missile launched from Yemen; further details remain undisclosed.

Following an agreed ceasefire deal in May with the US, aimed at pacifying intensified U.S. military responses to aggressive attacks on international shipping, the Houthis clarified that the accord did not extend to ceasefire in attacks on Israel. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has called for urgent diplomatic efforts, emphasizing that recent attacks in the Red Sea mark a serious violation of international law and freedom of navigation, highlighting the innocent lives endangered by such maritime conflicts.