Latest news with #MaritimeSecurity
Times of Oman
4 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
UN strongly condemns resumption of Houthi attacks on civilian vessels transiting Red Sea
New York: The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, strongly condemned the resumption of Houthi attacks on civilian vessels transiting the Red Sea, especially the attacks that took place on July 6-8. ''The sinking of both the MV Magic Seas and the MV Eternity C, along with the deaths of at least four crew members and injuries to others, is a dangerous re-escalation in this critical waterway,'' said Guterres in a statement attributed to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. With at least 15 crew members reported missing, he calls on the Houthis not to take any actions that impede the ongoing search and rescue operations for the missing crew. Beyond being an unacceptable attack on the safety and security of seafarers, these acts also violated the freedom of navigation, caused a hazard to maritime transport, and represent a serious risk of significant environmental, economic, and humanitarian damage to an already vulnerable coastal environment. The Secretary-General emphasised that international law must be respected by all parties at all times. He also underscored that UN Security Council resolution 2768 (2025) related to Houthi attacks against merchant and commercial vessels must be fully respected. The United Nations remains committed to continuing its efforts towards broader de-escalation in the region as well as continued engagement with Yemeni, regional, and international actors to secure a sustainable and peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen.
Arab News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
‘All our crew are Muslim,' fearful Red Sea ships tell Houthis
LONDON: Commercial ships sailing through the Red Sea are broadcasting increasingly desperate messages on public channels to avoid being attacked by the Houthi militia in Yemen. One message read 'All Crew Muslim,' some included references to an all-Chinese crew and management, others flagged the presence of armed guards on board, and almost all insisted the ships had no connection to Israel. Maritime security sources said the messages were a sign of growing desperation to avoid attack, but were unlikely to make any difference. Houthi intelligence preparation was 'much deeper and forward-leaning,' one source said. Houthi attacks off Yemen's coast began in November 2023 in what the group said was in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war. A lull this year ended when they sank two ships last week and killed four crew. Vessels in the fleets of both ships had made calls to Israeli ports in the past year. 'Seafarers are the backbone of global trade, keeping countries supplied with food, fuel and medicine. They should not have to risk their lives to do their job,' the Seafarers' Charity.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Reuters
Vessel manager confirms one of five suspected deaths tied to ship sunk by Houthis in Red Sea
ATHENS, July 10 (Reuters) - Greece's Cosmoship Management on Thursday said one person is believed dead and four more have not been seen since Houthi militants attacked the Eternity C cargo ship in the Red Sea this week. Maritime security sources have said that four people were believed to have been killed during the repeated raids on the Liberia-flagged ship that started on Monday. Twenty-one mariners, including at least two armed guards, later abandoned the vessel. Since then, 10 of them have been rescued. The manager of the Eternity C said another 10 individuals remain unaccounted for and that the company was working through multiple channels to verify a Houthi claim that the Iran-aligned group had picked up some crew after the vessel went down on Wednesday. The company said it has asked all ships in the area to assist in the ongoing search, and is also working to provide families with timely updates.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Four survivors of Houthi-struck ship rescued after spending 48 hours in Red Sea
Rescuers have pulled three more crew members and a security guard alive from the Red Sea a day after Iran-backed Houthi rebels sank Greek cargo ship Eternity C, according to maritime security sources. The Greek operator of the vessel, Cosmoship Management, confirmed that 10 people had been rescued — eight Filipino crew members, one Indian and one Greek security guard. Ten remained unaccounted for, including one guard, it said. The Houthis are believed to be holding some of the Eternity C's complement of 22 crew and three guards, maritime security sources said. The United States Mission to Yemen has accused the Houthis of kidnapping crew members and has called for their immediate, unconditional safe release. Eternity C was first hit with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speedboats this week. Cosmoship Management said one person was believed dead and another four have not been seen since the attack. Sources at security companies involved in a rescue operation said four of the 25 people aboard Eternity C cargo ship were killed before the rest of the crew abandoned the vessel immediately. The ABC has not been able to verify the number of casualties. The crew was forced to jump into the water following a second attack on the vessel on Tuesday morning. Rescuers have been searching for survivors since Wednesday morning, and the three crew members and security guard rescued on Thursday morning had spent nearly 48 hours in the water. The ship was the second Greek bulk carrier sunk this week by the Houthi militia, shattering months of relative calm off Yemen's coast, the gateway to the Red Sea and a critical route for the global supply of oil and other commodities. Many shipping companies have suspended voyages due to the fear of attack. On Wednesday, the Houthis' military spokesperson said in a televised address that the Yemeni navy had "responded to rescue a number of the ship's crew, provide them with medical care, and transport them to a safe location". "We understand that the Houthis have picked up some people and we are working through multiple channels as a matter of priority to verify this information," Cosmoship Management said. Rescuers are continuing their search, said Cosmoship, which has asked vessels passing in the area to assist in that effort. Eternity C had delivered a cargo for the UN World Food Program to Berbera, Somalia, and was sailing in ballast condition to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for fuel at the time of the first attack on Monday, the operator said. The vessel went down on Wednesday, days after Houthis hit and sank the Magic Seas, reviving a campaign launched in November 2023 that has seen more than 100 ships attacked in what the group said was solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza war. Both of the vessels hit this week flew Liberian flags and were operated by Greek companies. All crew from the Magic Seas were rescued before it sank. Some of their sister vessels in the respective fleets had made calls to Israeli ports in the past year, an analysis of shipping data showed. "These are blameless victims who were simply doing their job," the UK-based Seafarers' Charity association said. "Seafarers should be able to work safely at sea. Instead, they are being unfairly forced into the firing line." Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen's Houthi fighters, reiterated in a televised address on Thursday the group's ban on companies transporting goods related to Israel through the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. He said this week's attacks were part of that ban, which has been in place since 2023. "It was never stopped or cancelled, and it is a valid decision," he said. "What was discovered (this week) was the violation by some companies of the decision." The insurance cost of shipping goods through the Red Sea has more than doubled since this week's attacks, with some underwriters pausing cover for some voyages, industry sources said. 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, was 32 vessels on July 9, down from 43 on July 1, Lloyd's List Intelligence data showed. Several ships on Thursday broadcast messages referring to Chinese crew and management or armed guards on board, according to MarineTraffic data. One vessel broadcast that it had no relation with Israel. ABC/Reuters
Times of Oman
5 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Middle East: Rescuers search for missing Red Sea sailors
Search and rescue operations are underway in the Red Sea as more than a dozen crew members from the Greek-owned Eternity C remain unaccounted for after their ship was attacked by Yemeni Houthi rebels. Three further crew members and a security were pulled from the Red Sea on Thursday, according to maritime security sources speaking with Reuters news agency. The Iran-backed militants reportedly killed at least three crew members in a gunfire and explosive drone attack that lasted for hours. The group released video footage claiming to show the Liberian-flagged vessel sinking. A statement from the EU's Red Sea naval mission said a total of 25 people were on the vessel at the time of the attack — 22 sailors and a three-member security detail. So far, six men have been rescued, pulled from the sea after more than 24 hours in the water. The US Embassy in Yemen, meanwhile, accused the Houthis of having kidnapped several crew members. A statement by the US mission on X called "for their immediate and unconditional safe release," noting that "the Houthis continue to show the world why the United States was right to label them a terrorist organization." The Eternity C is the second cargo ship rebels have sunk in recent days, with the bulk carrier Magic Seas also targeted and sunk, allegedly for doing business with Israel. Citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, the Houthis have attacked more than 100 such ships in the Red Sea since November 2023. The two attacks this week are the first since November 2024.
