Houthis Abduct Survivors After Deadly Red Sea Cargo Ship Attack

Yemen’s Houthi militia attacked the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Eternity C in the Red Sea near Hodeidah, killing four crew members and sinking the vessel after a multi-day assault involving cruise and ballistic missiles as well as small boats firing RPGs. The attack, which the Houthis said targeted the ship for heading to an Israeli port, resulted in 15 crew members being taken hostage, with the group claiming to have rescued and transported survivors to a safe location, though U.S. officials have described this as kidnapping. The crew included 21 Filipinos, one Russian, and a security team with members from India, Greece, and others; six crew members were rescued after spending over 24 hours in the water. This incident marks the most serious Houthi attack on commercial shipping in over a year and is the second attack in two days, following the sinking of another Liberian-flagged vessel, Magic Seas, whose crew was evacuated. The U.S. Mission to Yemen condemned the Houthis, reiterating their designation as a terrorist organization and demanding the unconditional release of the hostages. The escalating attacks have raised concerns about the security of a crucial maritime trade route that previously saw $1 trillion in annual cargo traffic.