The European Union said six crew members of the Liberian-flagged cargo ship ‘Eternity C,’ which sank in the Red Sea due to attacks by Houthi rebels, have been rescued.
Eternity C, a Greek-owned vessel, was carrying 22 crew members, out of which 21 were Filipinos and one was Russian. Reportedly, the Houthi rebels attacked it by drones and rocket-propelled grenades off the coast of Yemen.
The European Union’s Aspides naval mission said six crew members were pulled out of the sea.
Operation Aspides is the name given to the EU’s military operation in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Gulf.
Eternity C: Many Crew Members Still Untraceable
Meanwhile, the Philippines’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that out of the twenty-one seafarers, five were rescued, local media reported.
The reports further quoted the Philippines Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac as saying, “The shipowner has confirmed that the Eternity C sank, and at the same time, five crew members were rescued. They were in the water. The rescue team found them and rescued them. They are still looking for the rest.”
Local media reports say that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked the ‘Eternity C’ with the help of unmanned boats and missiles to display solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
The Houthis recorded and released the video in which the European ship is being attacked before multiple explosions rock the ship and it finally sinks.
Attack On European Vessels: A Form Of Solidarity With Gaza?
Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center (UKMTO) said that it received multiple reports about a merchant vessel under attack 51 NM west of Hudaydah in Yemen.
The UKMTO confirmed that the vessel “has sunk in position 1442N 04226E,” and rescue operations are reportedly underway.
In the latest update, the United States Mission in Yemen said the Houthis kidnapped multiple surviving crew members of the ship. It urged immediate and unconditional release of the kidnapped members.
Earlier, Houthis had also attacked ‘Magic Seas,’ also a Greek-owned vessel. Reportedly, they used drones, missiles, and rocket-propelled grenades to assault the ship and forced each of its 22 crew members to vacate the vessel.
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