Houthis Kill Four Seafarers In Deadly Red Sea Attack On Bulk Carrier

At least four crew members on the Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier Eternity C were killed in a deadly attack off the coast of Yemen on July 7, 2025. 

According to sources, Eternity C was struck with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from manned speedboats, causing severe damage. 

The ship, carrying 22 crew members, 21 Filipinos and one Russian, was first attacked on Monday afternoon. Security sources later revealed that the vessel was attacked again on Tuesday night, forcing the crew to abandon ship and jump into the water. The incident occurred about 50 nautical miles southwest of Yemen’s Hodeidah port.

As of Wednesday, a rescue mission was underway to retrieve the crew. Four crew members and one armed guard had been pulled from the sea after being in the water for over 24 hours. 

However, rescue teams had yet to make visual contact with the rest of the 22-member crew or the two other guards who were also onboard.

A spokesperson from Diaplous, a Greece-based maritime risk management company involved in the rescue efforts, said, “We will continue to search for the remaining crew until the last light.”

The Eternity C had four armed guards onboard, including one Greek national. There are growing fears among maritime security sources that some of the missing crew may have been kidnapped by the Houthis, although the Iran-backed group has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Houthis began targeting ships they claimed were linked to Israel in response to the Gaza war.

The United States Embassy in Yemen (operating from Saudi Arabia) and the EU naval mission Aspides both attributed the strike to the Houthis. The U.S. Embassy condemned the attack as “intentional murder” and accused the group of showing “blatant disregard for human life and freedom of navigation.”

Just hours before the Eternity C was attacked, the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on the MV Magic Seas, another Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier, on Sunday off southwest Yemen. 

Scenes of the targeting and sinking of the Magic Seas ship, whose owner violated the Yemeni Armed Forces’ ban. pic.twitter.com/sD5H7gy6Ck

— Ahmed Hassan 🇾🇪 أحمد حسن زيد (@Ahmed_hassan_za) July 8, 2025

A video released by the Houthis shows explosions, a Mayday call, and the ship appearing to sink. All crew members were safely rescued by a passing merchant vessel and reached Djibouti on Monday.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez strongly condemned the renewed violence. He said the attacks violate international law and freedom of navigation, and that innocent seafarers and coastal communities are facing deadly consequences and environmental damage.

In response to the risks, the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers has advised Filipino seafarers, who make up a large part of the global shipping workforce, to exercise their right to refuse sailing through “high-risk, war-like” zones, including the Red Sea.

References: Reuters, Aljazeera

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