Four sailors were killed when the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Eternity C, operated by a Greek company, was attacked in the Red Sea on 8/7, according to an official from the EU Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI, a European Union mission tasked with enforcing the UN arms embargo on Libya.
British maritime security company Ambrey reported that the Eternity C was attacked on 7/7 by a series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and two approaching boats while traveling north on the Red Sea. Gunmen on the boats opened fire on the ship, prompting the onboard security team to return fire.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), run by the British navy, reported that the ship was severely damaged and immobilized. "It was surrounded by small boats and attacked repeatedly," the agency stated.
AFP, citing another source from Operation IRINI, reported that the chief engineer, a machine maintenance worker, and an engineering trainee were killed, and at least two others were injured, including an electrician who lost a leg. At an earlier meeting of the UN's International Maritime Organization, Liberia's representative said the attack resulted in two deaths and two injuries.
The Eternity C had a crew of 22, including 21 Filipino citizens and one Russian.
 |
The cargo ship Eternity C in Croatia, 1/2023. Photo: AP |
The cargo ship Eternity C in Croatia, 1/2023. Photo: AP
According to Reuters' maritime security sources, the ship is currently adrift and listing to one side. Two security companies, including one based in Greece, are preparing a rescue operation for the crew.
The US Embassy in Yemen accused the Houthi forces in Yemen of carrying out the attack, describing it as their "most violent attack to date" and a threat to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
This is the first time sailors have been killed in a cargo ship attack in the Red Sea since June 2024, when the Houthi group announced attacks on vessels transiting the area.
The Yemeni armed group has not commented on the Eternity C incident, but claimed responsibility for the attack on the cargo ship Magic Seas in the Red Sea on 6/7. That attack resulted in the Magic Seas sinking, with all crew members rescued by a passing cargo ship and taken to Djibouti.
Houthi forces said the Magic Seas was a "legitimate target" for doing business with and using Israeli ports.
The Houthi group began attacking Israeli territory and ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the conflict in the Gaza Strip erupted in late 2023, in a show of support for Palestinians in the territory.
 |
Location of the Red Sea. Graphic: Wikimedia |
Location of the Red Sea. Graphic: Wikimedia
In response, the Israeli military has conducted airstrikes on several Houthi-related targets in Yemen, including a series of strikes on 6/7 targeting the port city of Hodeida and surrounding areas.
Houthi forces reached a ceasefire agreement with the US in May after weeks of intense US airstrikes. However, the armed group only committed to not attacking US warships in the Red Sea, and did not agree to stop attacks on Israel or cargo ships linked to Tel Aviv.
Pham Giang (Reuters, AFP)
