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Nahar Net
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
US embassy says Houthis kidnapped mariners from ship they attacked
by Naharnet Newsdesk 10 July 2025, 13:07 The U.S. embassy accused Yemen's Houthi rebels Wednesday of kidnapping crew members from the Eternity C during their deadly attack on the cargo vessel in the Red Sea earlier this week. "After killing their shipmates, sinking their ship and hampering rescue efforts, the Houthi terrorists have kidnapped many surviving crew members of the Eternity C. We call for their immediate and unconditional safe release," the embassy said in a statement on X.
Egypt Independent
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
At least four killed and many ‘kidnapped' in second Huthi attack in a week on Red Sea cargo ship
The Huthis claimed responsibility for the assault that maritime officials say killed four of the 25 people aboard the Eternity C before the rest abandoned the cargo ship. Eternity C went down Wednesday morning after attacks on two previous days, sources at security companies involved in a rescue operation said. The six rescued seafarers spent more than 24 hours in the water, those firms said. The United States Mission in Yemen accused the Huthis of kidnapping many surviving crew members from Eternity C and called for their immediate and unconditional safe release. '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 Huthis 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. Reuters could not independently verify the audio or the location of the ship, which it verified was the Eternity C. The Huthis 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. In May, the U.S. announced a surprise deal with the Huthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to shipping attacks, though the Huthis 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.' 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, in this handout image released on July 9, 2025. Diaplous/Reuters Rescue search The Eternity C and the Magic Seas both flew Liberia flags and were operated by Greek firms. Some of the sister vessels in each of their wider fleets had made calls to Israeli ports in the past year, shipping data analysis showed. 'We will continue to search for the remaining crew until the last light,' said an official at Greece-based maritime risk management firm Diaplous. The EU's Aspides naval mission, which protects Red Sea shipping, confirmed in a statement that six people had been pulled from the sea. The Red Sea, which passes Yemen's coast, has long been a critical waterway for the world's oil and commodities but traffic has dropped sharply since the Houthi attacks began. 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, numbered 30 vessels on July 8, from 34 ships on July 6 and 43 on July 1, according to data from maritime data group Lloyd's List Intelligence. Oil prices rose on Wednesday, maintaining their highest levels since June 23, also due to the recent attacks on ships in the Red Sea. Plumes of smoke rise from what is said to be Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier, the MV Magic Seas. This screen grab is taken from a handout video released on July 8, 2025. Houthi Media Center/Reuters Multiple attacks 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. Two security sources told Reuters that the vessel was hit again with sea drones on Tuesday, forcing the crew and armed guards to abandon it. The Houthis stayed with the vessel until the early hours of Wednesday, one of the sources said. Skiffs were in the area as rescue efforts were underway. The crew comprised 21 Filipinos and one Russian. Three armed guards were also on board, including one Greek and one Indian, who was one of those rescued. The vessel's operator, Cosmoship Management, has not responded to requests for confirmation of casualties or injuries. If confirmed, the four reported deaths would be the first fatalities from attacks on shipping in the Red Sea since June 2024. Greece has been in talks with Saudi Arabia, a
Gulf Insider
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Surviving Crew Members Kidnapped By Houthis
Things have gone from bad to worse regarding the situation of the Greek-owned cargo ship Eternity C, which was sunk in a deadly Houthi raid. The missing mariners aboard the ship are now confirmed kidnapped, after at least four were killed. The US embassy accused Yemen's Iran-backed militants Wednesday of kidnapping crew members from the Eternity C in the Red Sea earlier this week – an attack which was carefully documented and filmed for the world to see by the attackers (see below). 'After killing their shipmates, sinking their ship and hampering rescue efforts, the Huthi terrorists have kidnapped many surviving crew members of the Eternity C. We call for their immediate and unconditional safe release,' the embassy said in a statement on X. Below is more from the Houthi statement, claiming the captive and surviving crew members are 'safe'… will President Trump get involved? It appears at least 15 have been taken. The Houthis claim responsibility for the attack against the Eternity C. They appear to have taken some crew members to a "safe place" (hostages?) — Michael A. Horowitz (@michaelh992) July 9, 2025 One of the two commercial ships attacked by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels—the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned cargo ship Eternity C—has sunk, resulting in the deaths of at least four crew members, with 15 still missing. The other ship, Magic Seas, was also attacked and sank earlier this week (crew rescued). Here's more from Reuters: Rescuers pulled six crew members alive from the Red Sea on Wednesday and 15 were still missing from the second of two ships sunk in recent days in attacks claimed by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia after months of calm. Four of the 25 people aboard the Eternity C cargo ship were killed before the rest of the crew abandoned the vessel, which sank on Wednesday morning after being attacked on Monday and Tuesday, sources at security companies involved in a rescue operation said. Since late 2023, more than 100 ships in the strategic Bab el-Mandeb/Southern Red Sea corridor have been targeted by Houthi rebels using drones and missiles. These attacks are expected to continue until a ceasefire is reached in the Israel-Hamas war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been in Washington, D.C., meeting with President Trump to discuss a potential ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The deal would allow Netanyahu to secure the release of 50 Israeli hostages. The attacks on Eternity C and Magic Seas mark the first Houthi strikes in the critical maritime chokepoint since President Trump announced a truce with the rebels in May. * * * Iranian-backed Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the strategic Bab el-Mandeb/Southern Red Sea corridor have intensified following U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, ordered by President Trump. This marks a significant escalation of asymmetric Iranian-proxy operations aimed at choking the critical maritime chokepoint. Last weekend, rebel forces attacked the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned cargo ship Eternity C, resulting in the deaths of at least three mariners and injuries to several others. The ship lost propulsion and is now adrift with the crew still on board. Between Sunday and Monday, the Houthis launched another assault on the bulk carrier Magic Seas using small boats and bomb-laden drones. Rebels later released video footage showing their fighters boarding the vessel, strategically placing explosives throughout the ship. The detonation ultimately led to the vessel's sinking, marking one of the most brazen and well-documented Houthi maritime attacks to date. مشاهد استهداف وإغراق السفينة 'ماجيك سيز' في البحر الأحمر في عملية نوعية للقوات المسلحة اليمنية – 6 يوليو 2025م — الإعلام الحربي اليمني (@MMY1444) July 8, 2025 The maritime attacks in the Southern Red Sea resulted in the 'tragic loss of three mariners, with many others injured and the complete loss of the MV Magic Seas and its cargo,' U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement, adding the Trump administration 'will continue to take necessary action to protect freedom of navigation and commercial shipping.' The release of high-impact footage on social media—such as shipboard assaults and vessel sinkings—indicates the Houthis are showcasing their operational capabilities across the Red Sea chokepoint. This video serves a dual purpose: reinforcing their psychological warfare campaign and delivering a clear propaganda message aimed at Western governments and global shipping interests. Regional Maritime Chokepoints Further Houthi maritime activity is likely this week, particularly targeting Western-aligned vessels. We anticipate potential vessel diversions while also tracking ongoing risks in the Strait of Hormuz. Also read: Houthis Vow 'Hot Summer' As Israel's National Airline Added To Target List
