Yemen Monitor/Reuters:
Marine security sources reported that rescue teams on Thursday recovered four more survivors from the commercial vessel “Eternity C,” which was attacked by the Houthi group off the coast of Yemen. The assault led to the ship’s sinking and the deaths of several crew members, with 11 individuals still missing.
The total number of survivors has now risen to ten people, including eight Filipinos, one Indian, and a Greek security guard. Those found on Thursday had spent over 48 hours in the water before being rescued, and search operations are ongoing.
The Liberian-flagged vessel, managed by a Greek company, suffered a dual attack this week involving both drone boats and missiles launched from fast boats, according to the same sources. The first attack occurred on Monday afternoon, followed by another on Tuesday morning, forcing the crew to jump into the sea to save themselves.
The “Eternity C” is the second vessel sunk by the Houthis in recent days, following a similar incident involving the “Magic Seas.” Preliminary estimates indicate that four people died in the attack on the “Eternity C,” potentially marking the first confirmed fatalities from Red Sea attacks since June 2024.
According to maritime sources, the Houthis are believed to be holding six crew members captive out of the 22 who were on board, including three security guards. The U.S. mission in Yemen has accused the Houthi group of “kidnapping” several survivors and demanded their immediate and unconditional release.
For their part, the Houthi group claimed their naval forces rescued several crew members, provided them with medical care, and transported them to a safe location, without offering further details on their fate.
Commenting on the situation, Ellie Shafiq, Head of Information at the British maritime risk management firm Vanguard Tech, expressed grave concern for the fate of the missing and detained individuals, emphasizing that their safety and swift release must be the priority.
Houthi naval attacks, ongoing since late 2023, are part of what the group describes as “solidarity with Gaza.” These attacks have caused significant disruption to global shipping and forced many companies to suspend their operations in the Red Sea.
