Houthis Have 10 Crew Members Of Cargo Ship Eternity C That Sank Off Yemen
On Monday, Yemen's Houthis announced that they had rescued 10 seafarers from the Greek-operated cargo ship, Eternity C. This Liberia-flagged vessel had previously been attacked by the group and subsequently sank in the Red Sea. Notably, this incident marks the second ship to sink off the coast of Yemen this month due to ongoing assaults by the Houthis, which have included sea drone attacks and rocket-propelled grenades. Another Greek-operated vessel, the Magic Seas, also met a similar fate.
The Philippine government confirmed that nine of the seafarers are Filipinos. Migrant Worker Minister Hans Cacdac reported that they are in good health, based on information from their families, and assured that efforts are underway to secure their safe release.
The Houthis' recent targeting of these vessels signals a resurgence of their assaults on maritime shipping. Since November 2023, they have attacked over 100 ships, claiming to show solidarity with the Palestinians. After being targeted, the crew members and three armed guards abandoned the Eternity C. While 10 individuals were rescued, five are feared dead in the aftermath of the attacks. Additionally, reports indicate that 10 more seafarers might still be held captive by the Houthi group.
On the same day, the Houthis released a six-minute video featuring the captured seafarers reaching out to their families. Experts have labeled this video as scripted propaganda, noting that the seafarers express gratitude towards the Houthis for their treatment and even apologize to Palestinians, seemingly under duress. The footage also suggested that the crew was unaware of the maritime ban imposed by the Houthis on vessels heading to Israel.
The crew stated that their ship was en route to Eilat Port in Israel to load fertilizers. However, Cosmoship Management, the vessel's operator, clarified that the ship had actually delivered supplies to the UN World Food Program in Berbera, Somalia, and was traveling to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for fuel when it was attacked. The Houthis have declared that this is part four of their military operations, during which they will target any ships linked to companies that engage with Israeli ports, regardless of their nationality.
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