Latest news with #JoshuaHutchinson
MTV Lebanon
09-07-2025
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Latest Red Sea Attack on Greek Ship Kills 4 Crew, Wounds 2
A drone and speedboat attack off Yemen killed four seafarers on a Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier, an official with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday, the second incident in a day, following months of calm. Traffic in the Red Sea, a key waterway for oil and commodities, has dropped since Yemen's Houthi militia aligned with Iran began targeting ships in 2023 in what it called solidarity with Palestinians under assault in Israel's war in Gaza. The deaths on the Eternity C, the first involving shipping in the Red Sea since June 2024, take to eight the total of seafarers killed in the Red Sea attacks. One more injured crew died on board after the attack, a source with knowledge of the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Houthis have not commented on the Eternity C, but hours earlier claimed responsibility for a strike on another Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier, the MV Magic Seas, off southwest Yemen on Sunday, saying the vessel sank. "After several months of calm, the resumption of deplorable attacks in the Red Sea constitutes a renewed violation of international law and freedom of navigation," IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said on Tuesday. The U.S. State Department condemned the "unprovoked Houthi terror attack on the civilian cargo vessels MV Magic Seas and MV Eternity C", as demonstrating the threats the Houthis posed to freedom of navigation and regional security. Washington "will continue to take necessary action to protect freedom of navigation and commercial shipping," it added in a statement. The Eternity C's operator, Cosmoship Management, was not immediately available to comment. Eternity C, with 21 Philippine nationals and a Russian making up a crew of 22, was adrift and listing after the attack with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from manned speed boats, maritime security sources told Reuters. Greece was in diplomatic talks with Saudi Arabia over the incident, sources said, as two maritime security firms, including Greece-based Diaplous, prepared to mount a rescue mission for the crew trapped on Eternity C. An official with Aspides, the European Union's mission assigned to help protect Red Sea shipping, also said at least two other crew were injured. Earlier, Liberia's shipping delegation told a U.N. meeting that two crew were killed. The Houthis released a video they said depicted their attack on the Magic Seas, including the Mayday call, explosions, and the vessel's ultimate submersion. Reuters could not independently verify the footage. The vessel's manager said the information about the sinking could not be verified. But Joshua Hutchinson, managing director of maritime security firm Ambrey, told Reuters it had a response vessel in the area and confirmed the Magic Seas had gone down. All crew on the Magic Seas were rescued by a passing merchant vessel and arrived safely in Djibouti on Monday, Djibouti authorities said. Since November 2023, the Houthis have disrupted commerce by launching hundreds of drones and missiles at vessels in the Red Sea, saying they were targeting ships linked to Israel. While the Houthis struck a ceasefire with Washington in May, the militia has vowed to keep attacking ships it says are connected with Israel. "Just as Liberia was processing the shock and grief of the attack against Magic Seas, we received a report that Eternity C again has been attacked ... causing the death of two seafarers," Liberia's delegation told a session of the International Maritime Organization.
GMA Network
09-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Four crew dead, at least two wounded in Red Sea attack on Greek ship with Pinoy seafarers
LONDON/ATHENS - Four seafarers on the Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier Eternity C were killed in a drone and speedboat attack off Yemen, an official with knowledge of the issue said on Tuesday, the second incident in a day after months of calm. 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 since the Iran-aligned Houthi militia began targeting ships in November 2023 in what they said was solidarity with Palestinians against Israel in the Gaza war. The deaths on the Eternity C, the first involving shipping in the Red Sea since June 2024, bring the total number of seafarers killed in attacks on vessels plying the Red Sea to eight. The Houthis have not commented on the Eternity C. The vessel's operator, Cosmoship Management, was not immediately available to comment on the reported fatalities. A source with knowledge of the matter said one more injured crew member had died on board following the attack. An official with Aspides, the European Union's mission assigned to help protect Red Sea shipping, also said at least two other crew members were injured. Liberia's shipping delegation had told a United Nations meeting earlier that two crew members had been killed. Eternity C, with 22 crew members — 21 Filipinos and one Russian — on board, was attacked with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from manned speed boats, maritime security sources told Reuters. The ship was now adrift and listing, the sources said. Two maritime security firms, including Greece-based Diaplous, are preparing to mount a rescue mission for the crew trapped on Eternity C. According to sources, Greece was in diplomatic talks with Saudi Arabia over the incident. Hours before the latest attack, the Houthis had claimed responsibility for a strike on another Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier, the MV Magic Seas, off southwest Yemen on Sunday, saying the vessel sank. They subsequently released a video of what they said was their attack on the Magic Seas. The footage included the Mayday call, multiple explosions, and the ultimate submersion of the ship. Reuters could not independently verify the footage. The vessel's manager said the information about the sinking could not be verified, but Ambrey managing director Joshua Hutchinson told Reuters the maritime security firm had a response vessel in the area and confirmed the Magic Seas had gone down. All crew on the Magic Seas were rescued by a passing merchant vessel and arrived safely in Djibouti on Monday, Djibouti authorities said. "Just as Liberia was processing the shock and grief of the attack against Magic Seas, we received a report that Eternity C again has been attacked, attacked horribly and causing the death of two seafarers," Liberia's delegation told a session of the International Maritime Organization. Since November 2023, the Houthis have disrupted commerce by launching hundreds of drones and missiles at vessels in the Red Sea, saying they were targeting ships linked to Israel. While the Houthis reached a ceasefire with the United States in May, the militia has reiterated they will keep attacking ships it says are connected with Israel. "After several months of calm, the resumption of deplorable attacks in the Red Sea constitutes a renewed violation of international law and freedom of navigation," IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said on Tuesday. "Innocent seafarers and local populations are the main victims of these attacks and the pollution they cause." 'Elevated risks' Both the Eternity C and Magic Seas were part of commercial fleets whose sister vessels have made calls to Israeli ports over the past year. "The pause in Houthi activity did not necessarily indicate a change in underlying intent. As long as the conflict in Gaza persists, vessels with affiliations, both perceived and actual, will continue to face elevated risks," said Ellie Shafik, head of intelligence with the Britain-based maritime risk management company Vanguard Tech. Filipino seafarers – who form one of the world's largest pools of merchant mariners – have been urged to exercise their right to refuse to sail in "high-risk, war-like" areas, including the Red Sea after the latest strikes, the Philippines' Department of Migrant Workers said on Tuesday. Shipping traffic through the region has declined by around 50% from normal levels since the first Houthi attacks in 2023, according to Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer with shipping association BIMCO. "This reduction in traffic has persisted due to the ongoing unpredictability of the security situation. As such, BIMCO does not anticipate the recent attacks will significantly alter current shipping patterns," Larsen said. Monday's attack on Eternity C, 50 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, was the second on merchant vessels in the region since November 2024, according to an official at Aspides. —Reuters
Sky News
10-03-2025
- General
- Sky News
North Sea latest: 'Multiple explosions' as tanker and ship crash in North Sea - with jet fuel spilling into sea and vessels on fire
One person in hospital, MP says, with 36 'safe and accounted for' A local MP has said he understands "only one person" is in hospital after the collision. Graham Stuart, who represents Beverley and Holderness in east Yorkshire, said "the other 36 mariners across both crews are safe and accounted for". According to him, this means there were 37 people altogether on both vessels. "I've now spoken with the transport secretary and I understand that only one person is in hospital," he said. "While we will be thankful that everyone has been brought ashore, I continue to be concerned about the potential ecological impact." Coastguard emergency call emerges The message broadcast by the Coastguard after the collision warned other ships to stay well away from the area. In audio shared on social media, the Coastguard can be heard warning Solong "has collided" with Stena Immaculate. "Both vessels are abandoning," the message continued. "Vessels who have firefighting equipment or can assist with search and rescue, contact Humber Coastguard. "Stena is carrying jet A1 fuel, which is on fire and in the water. Vessels - remain at safe distance." Investigation team sent to scene - and it could take months It may take months for a conclusion, but investigators are making their way to the scene. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has sent a team to Grimsby to "gather evidence". A spokesperson said: "Our team of inspectors and support staff are gathering evidence and undertaking a preliminary assessment of the accident to determine our next steps." Joshua Hutchinson, a managing director at maritime risk firm Ambrey, told us earlier the investigation could "take several weeks, if not months". 'Multiple explosions' as vessels collided and jet fuel released into sea Our earlier report that jet fuel may have been on board the tanker has now been confirmed. Crowley, the firm managing the Stena Immaculate, has said the tanker sustained a "ruptured cargo tank". This caused "multiple explosions" and released jet fuel into the sea. The crew "abandoned" the vessel, the firm added, and all mariners are "safe and fully accounted for". "Crowley immediately initiated its emergency vessel response plan and is actively working with public agencies to contain the fire and secure the vessel," it said. "Our first priority is the safety of the people and environment. "We will provide more updates as information becomes available." Here's everything we know so far This is a fast-moving story - so here's everything we know so far about the collision between a ship and a tanker in the North Sea. The two ships involved are a US-flagged oil tanker called the Stena Immaculate and the Solong - a container ship sailing under a Portuguese flag; The collision took place around 13 miles off the coast of East Yorkshire in the North Sea; So far, 32 casualties have been reported, but all are thought to be alive; Sky News has been told this number could rise as the Port of Grimsby East is expecting another vessel, after having received three already; The alarm was first raised at 9.48am, and at 10.20am HM Coastguard tasked a number of lifeboats to support its response; Tracking data shows the moment of the crash, with the Stena Immaculate seemingly stationary as the Solong sails towards it; The RNLI said there had been reports that people had "abandoned the vessels,"; Dramatic images and video show the ships on fire, with plumes of black smoke rising into the air; Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has said she is "concerned" by news of the collision, and was liaising with officials; Experts have told Sky News that autopilot could have been involved in the crash, and jet fuel could have been carried by one of the ships. Number of casualties could rise as port expects another vessel The number of casualties could rise further as one port key in the response to the collision has said it is expecting another ship. We previously reported that 32 people, all thought to be alive, had been brought to the Port of Grimsby East. Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the port, told Kamali Melbourne that three ships had arrived at the docks throughout the morning. But he added was expecting at least one more. "As I look out my window, the ambulances are still waiting and apparently there's another vessel coming with some more casualties," he said. The first boat to arrive had 13 people on board and was a Windcat 33 vessel that takes people out to wind turbines and had been in the vicinity. This was followed by 10 casualties on a pilot boat operated by Associated British Ports, which owns the Port of Immingham. Another pilot boat brought in nine casualties. Autopilot could have led to crash, port chief says Autopilot could have led to the crash between the container and the tanker in the North Sea, a port chief has told Sky News. In our 2.12pm post, we brought you some comments from Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, as he spoke to Kamali Melbourne. During the interview, he was asked about tracking software which showed the Solong heading for the seemingly stationary Stena Immaculate before the collision, raising questions of what took place. He said it might have been a case of autopilot: "One of them was at anchor and the other would have set a course. "They have a thing called autopilot, and that's what I would suspect has been the issue. "If it's been put on autopilot and there's no one on the bridge, which could happen, then it'd just go straight on. "Autopilot just steers a course, they don't deviate, there's no bend in the sea. "They just go straight for miles, hundreds of miles, and it would've gone in a straight direction. "It's difficult to understand what happened, or why it happened." He added there would've been alarms on the bridge, which raised even more questions about how the collision unfolded. Images reveal damage to US-flagged tanker engulfed in flames By Olive Enokido-Lineham, OSINT producer Images obtained by Sky News show the US-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate on fire. One photo appears to show large plumes of smoke appearing from the port side of the ship. Another image taken by the same person shows the bow of the Stena Immaculate in flames. In the image above, the helm does not appear to be on fire, but the bow of the ship is completely covered by smoke. We used historical images of the vessel and compared them to the images we obtained to determine some of the areas of the Immaculate that have sustained damage. According to the Stena Bulk website, the Immaculate was built in 2017 and is 183m long. It's operated by a shipping company based in the US called Crowley Maritime. The American tanker was at anchor, according to ship tracking tool Vesselfinder. Port chief says all 32 casualties were brought in alive A port chief has told Sky News that all of the 32 casualties brought in were alive when they arrived at his port. Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said he was told to ready his port at around 11am. "We were put on standby around about 11 o'clock to receive casualties - not knowing what condition they were in," he told our presenter Kamali Melbourne. He said the first boat arrived with 13 people on board - an off-shore windfarm vessel that had been in the vicinity when the crash took place. Then two other vessels followed shortly after, bringing the rest of the casualties. He continued: "There was a line of ambulances waiting to take them to the Princess Diana hospital. "They were alive. We didn't see [more] the area was sectioned off by police. I do know that they were all alive." Ambulance service on scene in Grimsby We've just heard from the East Midlands Ambulance Service - here's their statement in full: We received a call at 11.28am on Monday 10 March to North Quay in Grimsby. We've sent multiple resources, including our Hazardous Area Response Team, and we are currently still on scene.
