RED SEA, July 10 — Six crew members were rescued and at least 15 remain missing after a Houthi strike sank the Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged cargo ship Eternity C in the Red Sea, European naval authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The attack also reportedly claimed the lives of four sailors.
The assault marks one of the deadliest maritime attacks in recent months and signals a potential revival of Yemen’s Houthi-led campaign against vessels linked to Israel, as tensions over the war in Gaza continue to spill into international waters.
According to the European Union’s maritime security mission, Operation Aspides, five Filipinos and one Indian crew member were rescued from the 22-member crew and three-member security team. The ship was en route to the Suez Canal when it came under attack late Monday near Yemen’s Houthi-controlled Hodeidah coast.
Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Houthi military, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating the ship was targeted with missiles and an unmanned boat “in solidarity with Gaza.” He said the group had attempted to rescue some crew members and provide medical care.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre had earlier reported that Eternity C suffered “significant damage” and had “lost all propulsion.” UK-based security firm Ambrey later confirmed the vessel had sunk.
The U.S. Mission in Yemen accused the Houthis of kidnapping several surviving crew members and demanded their “immediate and unconditional release.”
Shipping industry groups, including the International Chamber of Shipping and BIMCO, condemned the strike. “These vessels have been attacked with callous disregard for the lives of innocent civilian seafarers,” they said in a joint statement. “This tragedy illuminates the need for nations to maintain robust support in protecting shipping and vital sea lanes.”
The strike on Eternity C came just a day after the Houthis sank another cargo ship, Magic Seas, though all crew members on that vessel were rescued. The twin attacks are the first since late 2024 and suggest a renewed phase in the Houthis’ maritime campaign, which saw over 100 commercial vessels targeted between November 2023 and January 2025.
Following Sunday’s Magic Seas attack, the Houthis declared vessels owned by Israeli-linked firms as “legitimate targets” until the “aggression against Gaza stops and the blockade is lifted.”
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce condemned the attacks, calling them a serious threat to freedom of navigation and regional maritime security. “The United States has been clear: We will continue to take necessary action to protect freedom of navigation and commercial shipping from Houthi terrorist attacks,” she said.
Although a May 6 agreement between the U.S. and the Houthis paused American airstrikes in exchange for halting attacks on U.S.-flagged ships, the rebels have maintained that Israeli-linked vessels remain fair targets.
In a related escalation, Israel struck multiple targets in Houthi-controlled Yemen on Sunday, including the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa, and as-Salif, along with the Ras Kathib power plant. The Israeli military also targeted a radar system on the Galaxy Leader, a cargo ship seized by the Houthis last year.
The Eternity C’s operator, Cosmoship Management, has not yet commented on the casualties or the sinking. If confirmed, the four deaths would be the first from a Red Sea shipping attack since June 2024. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.
