Latest news with #HuthiRebels
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'I thought I was going to die': sailor recounts Huthi attack in Red Sea
Filipino seafarer Cocoy was off-duty and resting in his cabin when the captain's voice boomed over the intercom of the cargo ship: "We are under attack". The 38-year-old realised what sounded like a "knock" from inside the vessel was gunfire being exchanged by ship security and Huthi rebels swarming the ship in small boats. The July 6 assault on the Greek-owned Magic Seas broke a months-long lull in attacks by Yemen's Huthi rebels on Red Sea shipping, which began after the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. Crew members scrambled to reach the "muster station" at the centre of the ship, considered the safest place should a projectile strike the vessel. "There was panic, but we knew we had to move. It's like we were on autopilot," said Cocoy, who asked to be referred to by his nickname as he undergoes a debriefing. "(The crew) were in a daze, but they were all rushing to do their assigned jobs for our safety protocol... maybe I looked dazed too," he told AFP. "There were speedboats from the right, left and back of our ship," he said, relaying what the ship's security team had told him. "There was also a bigger boat with around 15 crew who were attempting to board our ship, but luckily, our armed guards were able to stop them." Of the 22 aboard the ship, 17 were Filipino. The group huddled inside the muster station for nearly five hours as the ship's three armed Sri Lankan security guards tried to stave off the attack. "I lost count of how many hits we took," he told AFP of Huthi projectiles. A Huthi spokesman would later claim that five ballistic and cruise missiles and three drones had been employed in the attack. One would breach the hull. "The flooding had started so we decided to abandon the ship," Cocoy said. "We deployed our lifeboat, all 22 of us, and left our main vessel." Filipino sailors make up as much as 30 percent of the world's commercial shipping force. The nearly $7 billion they sent home in 2023 accounted for about a fifth of remittances sent to the archipelago nation. While a seafarer for more than 15 years, it was Cocoy's first passage through the Red Sea, and what he called a case of "really bad timing". "During the gunfight, the faces of my wife and child flashed before my eyes. I kept thinking... will they survive without me?" he said. "I thought I was going to die." After abandoning ship, Cocoy and his shipmates spent three hours floating in the Red Sea before being picked up by a Panama-flagged container ship. "They were the longest hours of my life," he said. The Magic Seas was no longer within their sight as it sank beneath the waves. - 'We were just lucky' - A day after Cocoy's ordeal, another vessel crewed largely by Filipino sailors, the Eternity C, was attacked and sunk. Ten of those aboard were rescued. Another 15 are dead or missing. It was the deadliest such assault since three people were killed in a missile attack on another ship in March last year. On Wednesday night, eight Filipinos rescued from the Eternity C landed at Manila's international airport. The Iran-backed Huthis said last week they had "rescued" an unspecified number of the Eternity C's crew and taken them to a safe location, prompting charges of kidnapping by the US government. Maritime news journal Lloyd's List reported six Filipino seafarers as "believed taken hostage". The Philippine government has so far offered no information about the possibility of either hostages or negotiations. "I feel terrified for the (missing) Eternity C crew," Cocoy told AFP. "We were just lucky, because all of us survived... I pray that many of their crew can still be located alive." Cocoy, who is plagued by nightmares of the attack, said he is unsure if he will return to the sea. "What happened to us was not normal," he said, urging shipowners to find routes that avoid the Red Sea. "It's something that no one should ever experience." pam-cwl/dhw
France 24
3 hours ago
- France 24
'I thought I was going to die': sailor recounts Huthi attack in Red Sea
The 38-year-old realised what sounded like a "knock" from inside the vessel was gunfire being exchanged by ship security and Huthi rebels swarming the ship in small boats. The July 6 assault on the Greek-owned Magic Seas broke a months-long lull in attacks by Yemen's Huthi rebels on Red Sea shipping, which began after the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. Crew members scrambled to reach the "muster station" at the centre of the ship, considered the safest place should a projectile strike the vessel. "There was panic, but we knew we had to move. It's like we were on autopilot," said Cocoy, who asked to be referred to by his nickname as he undergoes a debriefing. "(The crew) were in a daze, but they were all rushing to do their assigned jobs for our safety protocol... maybe I looked dazed too," he told AFP. "There were speedboats from the right, left and back of our ship," he said, relaying what the ship's security team had told him. "There was also a bigger boat with around 15 crew who were attempting to board our ship, but luckily, our armed guards were able to stop them." The group huddled inside the muster station for nearly five hours as the ship's three armed Sri Lankan security guards tried to stave off the attack. "I lost count of how many hits we took," he told AFP of Huthi projectiles. A Huthi spokesman would later claim that five ballistic and cruise missiles and three drones had been employed in the attack. One would breach the hull. "The flooding had started so we decided to abandon the ship," Cocoy said. "We deployed our lifeboat, all 22 of us, and left our main vessel." Filipino sailors make up as much as 30 percent of the world's commercial shipping force. The nearly $7 billion they sent home in 2023 accounted for about a fifth of remittances sent to the archipelago nation. While a seafarer for more than 15 years, it was Cocoy's first passage through the Red Sea, and what he called a case of "really bad timing". "During the gunfight, the faces of my wife and child flashed before my eyes. I kept thinking... will they survive without me?" he said. "I thought I was going to die." After abandoning ship, Cocoy and his shipmates spent three hours floating in the Red Sea before being picked up by a Panama-flagged container ship. "They were the longest hours of my life," he said. The Magic Seas was no longer within their sight as it sank beneath the waves. 'We were just lucky' A day after Cocoy's ordeal, another vessel crewed largely by Filipino sailors, the Eternity C, was attacked and sunk. Ten of those aboard were rescued. Another 15 are dead or missing. It was the deadliest such assault since three people were killed in a missile attack on another ship in March last year. On Wednesday night, eight Filipinos rescued from the Eternity C landed at Manila's international airport. The Iran-backed Huthis said last week they had "rescued" an unspecified number of the Eternity C's crew and taken them to a safe location, prompting charges of kidnapping by the US government. Maritime news journal Lloyd's List reported six Filipino seafarers as "believed taken hostage". The Philippine government has so far offered no information about the possibility of either hostages or negotiations. "I feel terrified for the (missing) Eternity C crew," Cocoy told AFP. "We were just lucky, because all of us survived... I pray that many of their crew can still be located alive." Cocoy, who is plagued by nightmares of the attack, said he is unsure if he will return to the sea. "What happened to us was not normal," he said, urging shipowners to find routes that avoid the Red Sea. "It's something that no one should ever experience." © 2025 AFP
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Huthi rebels sink merchant vessel in ‘most violent' attack yet as Red Sea shipping campaign resumes
Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the deadly sinking of a merchant vessel earlier this week, their second attack in 24 hours as they resumed their campaign against Red Sea shipping. The Eternity C, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, was badly damaged in the attack that started on Monday and continued into Tuesday, when the ship sank. Yemen's rebels claimed responsibility for the attack, which came a day after they boarded and sank the Magic Seas — their first attack on merchant shipping this year. Their resumed attacks mark the end of a months-long lull and threaten a May ceasefire with the United States that ended weeks of strikes on Huthi targets. 'The naval force of the Yemeni Armed Forces targeted the ship Eternity C,' Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said, claiming that the vessel was headed for the Israeli port of Eilat and was attacked in support of Palestinians in Gaza. 19 missing Saree said the attack was carried out with an unmanned vessel and six cruise and ballistic missiles. He said the Huthis had 'moved to rescue a number of the ship's crew, provide them with medical care and transport them to a safe location'. But the US embassy accused the rebels of kidnapping those crew members who had not been rescued by Western navies. 'After killing their shipmates, sinking their ship and hampering rescue efforts, the Huthi terrorists have kidnapped many surviving crew members of the Eternity C,' said the mission, which operates out of a temporary base in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. 'We call for their immediate and unconditional safe release,' it added in a post on X. Operation Aspides — the EU naval task force in the Red Sea — told AFP that five Filipinos and one Indian had been rescued, while 19 others were still missing. The UN envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, expressed 'grave concern' over attacks that resulted in 'civilian loss of life and casualties as well as the potential for environmental damage'. 'Yemen must not be drawn deeper into regional crises that threaten to unravel the already extremely fragile situation in the country,' he said. On Tuesday, Aspides said three people were killed in the attack on the Eternity C and at least two wounded — including a Russian electrician who lost a leg. 'Cease aggression' Saree warned 'all companies dealing with the ports of occupied Palestine (Israel) that their ships and crews will be targeted' until Israel has been forced to 'lift the siege on our brothers in Gaza, cease the aggression against them and end the ongoing war'. The Huthis began their attacks on Red Sea shipping in late 2023, saying they were in support of Palestinians in Gaza. On Monday, they said they hit the Magic Seas because its owner had done business with Israel and used its ports. The rebels released a video showing masked gunmen storming the Magic Seas and simultaneous explosions that scuttled the bulk carrier. Both ships had likely been attacked 'due to prior Israeli port calls or ownership/ship manager affiliations', according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre, run by Western navies. Huthi attacks have prompted many shipping firms to make the time-consuming detour around the southern tip of Africa to avoid the Red Sea, which normally carries about 12 per cent of global trade. The Huthis had threatened to renew their attacks after the Gaza ceasefire collapsed in March, prompting a deadly US bombing campaign against the rebels that ended with the May ceasefire. However, the rebels said they would continue to target 'Israeli ships'. In a statement on Tuesday, the US embassy blamed the Huthis for the Eternity C attack, calling it 'the most violent' yet. Israel, which has also come under direct missile and drone attack by the Huthis, has carried out multiple strikes on rebel targets in Yemen, most recently on Sunday.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Yemen's Huthis claim deadly Red Sea attack on merchant ship
Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels claimed responsibility Wednesday for the deadly sinking of a merchant vessel earlier this week, their second attack in 24 hours as they resumed their campaign against Red Sea shipping. The Eternity C, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, was badly damaged in the attack that started on Monday and continued into Tuesday, when the ship sank. Yemen's rebels claimed responsibility for the attack, which came a day after they boarded and sank the Magic Seas -- their first attack on merchant shipping this year. Their resumed attacks mark the end of a months-long lull and threaten a May ceasefire with the United States that ended weeks of strikes on Huthi targets. "The naval force of the Yemeni Armed Forces targeted the ship Eternity C," Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said, claiming that the vessel was headed for the Israeli port of Eilat and was attacked in support of Palestinians in Gaza. - 19 missing - Saree said the attack was carried out with an unmanned vessel and six cruise and ballistic missiles. He said the Huthis had "moved to rescue a number of the ship's crew, provide them with medical care and transport them to a safe location". But the US embassy accused the rebels of kidnapping those crew members who had not been rescued by Western navies. "After killing their shipmates, sinking their ship and hampering rescue efforts, the Huthi terrorists have kidnapped many surviving crew members of the Eternity C," said the mission, which operates out of a temporary base in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. "We call for their immediate and unconditional safe release," it added in a post on X. Operation Aspides -- the EU naval task force in the Red Sea -- told AFP that five Filipinos and one Indian had been rescued, while 19 others were still missing. The UN envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, expressed "grave concern" over attacks that resulted in "civilian loss of life and casualties as well as the potential for environmental damage". "Yemen must not be drawn deeper into regional crises that threaten to unravel the already extremely fragile situation in the country," he said. On Tuesday, Aspides said three people were killed in the attack on the Eternity C and at least two wounded -- including a Russian electrician who lost a leg. - 'Cease aggression' - Saree warned "all companies dealing with the ports of occupied Palestine (Israel) that their ships and crews will be targeted" until Israel has been forced to "lift the siege on our brothers in Gaza, cease the aggression against them and end the ongoing war". The Huthis began their attacks on Red Sea shipping in late 2023, saying they were in support of Palestinians in Gaza. On Monday, they said they hit the Magic Seas because its owner had done business with Israel and used its ports. The rebels released a video showing masked gunmen storming the Magic Seas and simultaneous explosions that scuttled the bulk carrier. Both ships had likely been attacked "due to prior Israeli port calls or ownership/ship manager affiliations", according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre, run by Western navies. Huthi attacks have prompted many shipping firms to make the time-consuming detour around the southern tip of Africa to avoid the Red Sea, which normally carries about 12 percent of global trade. The Huthis had threatened to renew their attacks after the Gaza ceasefire collapsed in March, prompting a deadly US bombing campaign against the rebels that ended with the May ceasefire. However, the rebels said they would continue to target "Israeli ships". In a statement on Tuesday, the US embassy blamed the Huthis for the Eternity C attack, calling it "the most violent" yet. Israel, which has also come under direct missile and drone attack by the Huthis, has carried out multiple strikes on rebel targets in Yemen, most recently on Sunday. bur-aya-sar/kir/jsa
News.com.au
15-06-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Israel-Iran conflict: latest developments
Israel and Iran traded fire for a third straight day on Sunday, with rising casualties and expanding targets marking an escalation in the conflict between the longtime adversaries. Overnight Iranian strikes killed at least 10 people in Israel, adding to the growing toll in both countries since Friday when Israel launched a massive wave of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities but also hitting residential areas, sparking retaliation. The exchange of strikes is the first time the arch-enemies have traded fire with such intensity, triggering fears of a prolonged conflict that could engulf the Middle East, even as international leaders urge de-escalation. Here are the latest developments: - Deadly Iranian strikes - Iran unleashed deadly barrages of missiles at Israel overnight Saturday into Sunday, killing 10 people, including children, and bringing the overall death toll since Tehran launched retaliatory strikes to 13, with 380 others wounded. The first wave of Israeli strikes on Iran killed 78 people and wounded 320, according to Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, but Iranian authorities had not provided an updated toll as of Sunday afternoon. Iran also struck sites used by Israeli warplanes for refuelling, the Revolutionary Guards said Sunday. Israel said it had intercepted seven drones launched towards its territory, as it also faced attack from Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, which on Sunday said they launched several missiles at Israel. - Israel expands targets - After targeting Iranian military and nuclear facilities, as well as killing top commanders and scientists, Israel expanded targets to oil infrastructure and government buildings. Israeli strikes hit two fuel depots in Tehran on Sunday, with AFP journalists seeing fire at a depot in Shahran, northwest of the Iranian capital. The Israeli military said Sunday its forces struck more than 80 targets in Tehran overnight. The day before, Israel's military said it was attacking dozens of missile launchers in Iran after announcing it had targeted air defences with a wave of strikes in the Tehran area. Iranian media on Sunday reported Israeli strikes had targeted the defence ministry headquarters in Tehran as well as a facility affiliated with the ministry in the central city of Isfahan. - Faltering nuclear diplomacy - The fierce exchanges of fire came amid talks between Tehran and Washington seeking to reach a deal on Iran's nuclear programme. Western governments have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it denies. The sixth round of negotiations set for Sunday in Oman have been called off, with Tehran saying it would not attend talks with Washington as long as Israel kept up its attacks. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday hit out at Israel, saying its attacks are an "attempt to undermine diplomacy and derail negotiations". The top Iranian diplomat also accused Israel of having "crossed a new red line" by targeting Iran's nuclear sites. Tehran has criticised the UN nuclear watchdog, accusing it of inaction over the Israeli strikes and pledging to limit cooperation with the agency. - International unease - Countries have voiced growing alarm over the conflict spilling into the wider region, calling for de-escalation. Araghchi on Sunday slammed one of Israel's strikes on a major gas facility along the Gulf coast, saying any military activity in the key waters "could involve the entire region -- and possibly the whole world". He said Tehran had "solid proof" that US forces and bases in the region had supported Israel in its attacks. Washington -- a top Israel ally and Tehran rival -- has denied US involvement and called for an end to the exchanges of fire. But on Sunday morning, Trump issued a warning to Iran saying it would experience "the full strength" of the US military if it attacks the United States.
