Houthis Claim Rescue of 10 Crew Members from Greek-Operated Ship Sunk in Red Sea

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group said Monday it had rescued 10 crew members from the Greek-operated cargo ship Eternity C, which was attacked and sunk earlier this month in the Red Sea. The Liberian-flagged vessel became the second ship to go down off Yemen’s coast in July after a string of maritime assaults by the Houthis using sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades.

Just days earlier, another Greek-operated ship, the Magic Seas, had also been sunk. Both incidents marked a renewed wave of Houthi aggression in the Red Sea, where the group has targeted over 100 vessels between November 2023 and December 2024. The Houthis say the attacks are part of a campaign to show solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

Following the strike on Eternity C, its crew and three armed guards were forced to abandon ship. A private rescue mission had earlier recovered 10 survivors, while five others remain missing and are feared dead. Reports also indicated that 10 individuals were believed to be held by the Houthis.

On Monday, Houthi media released a six-minute video purporting to show the rescued seafarers, including footage of some contacting their families. The video featured crew members stating they had not been aware of the Houthi-imposed maritime ban on vessels heading to Israeli ports. According to the group, the Eternity C was en route to Israel’s Port of Eilat to load fertilizer at the time of the attack.

Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

The Houthis announced a new escalation in their operations on Sunday, declaring the start of “phase four” of their campaign. Under this phase, they vowed to target any vessel linked to companies that conduct business with Israeli ports, regardless of the ship’s nationality or flag.

In response to the rising threat to commercial navigation, Greece announced it would deploy a salvage vessel to the Red Sea to assist in maritime emergencies and enhance safety for seafarers and international shipping routes.