Four seafarers have been rescued after spending more than 48 hours in the waters of the Red Sea, following the sinking of the Greek ship Eternity C by Houthi militants.
The attack, which took place earlier this week, has resulted in the deaths of at least four crew members and the kidnapping of six others, according to maritime security sources, reported The Guardian and The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.
Iran-backed Houthis first struck the vessel with bombs, sea drones, and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speed boats on Monday. A second assault on Tuesday night forced the crew to abandon ship and leap into the water.
Three Filipinos and one Russian were killed during the attacks.
Rescue operations began on Wednesday morning, with a total of 10 survivors recovered so far, including eight Filipino crew members, one Indian, and one Greek security guard. There were 25 crew members on board the vessel when it was struck.
Four seafarers who were only rescued on Thursday endured nearly 48 hours in perilous conditions. Eleven remain missing, with six believed to have been kidnapped by the Houthis, according to both The Guardian and The Jerusalem Post.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack saying they were standing in solidarity with Palestinians and intended to pressure Israel to end the war in Gaza. The group has threatened to launch further strikes on Israeli-linked vessels, breaking a May ceasefire with the US.
The latest incident ends a period of relative calm with the Eternity C sinking being the first incident in over a year in which seafarers have been killed as a result of Houthi attacks.
The Red Sea handles about a third of global container traffic and has seen a sharp decline in activity due to security concerns over the past 18 months.
Ellie Shafik, head of intelligence at security firm, Vanguard Tech, told The Guardian: "We remain deeply concerned for the welfare of the crew members in the custody of the Houthis, as well as for those currently unaccounted for. Their safety and swift release must be a priority for all involved."
The US mission in Yemen has condemned the kidnappings and demanded the crew’s immediate release.
