British Maritime Trade Operations reported yesterday the sinking of a vessel approximately 51 nautical miles off the coast of Hodeidah, Yemen, without revealing its identity. This incident marks the second sinking linked to recent attacks claimed by Houthi militia.
Rescue teams managed to recover six crew members from a second cargo ship that sank in the Red Sea within a span of two days due to a Houthi assault, while search operations continue for 15 individuals who remain unaccounted for.
Sources from security firms involved in the rescue efforts indicated that four out of 25 crew members aboard the cargo ship “Eternity Sea” perished before the remaining crew evacuated the vessel, which sank following the attack on Monday and Tuesday. The six rescued sailors had spent over 24 hours in the water.
A representative from Diablos, a maritime risk management firm based in Greece, stated: “We will continue searching for the remaining crew until the very last moment.”
Claim of Responsibility
The Houthi militia has avowed responsibility for the ship sinking and previously took credit for a similar attack on Sunday that targeted the cargo vessel “Magic Seas.” Prior to the Houthi announcement, the American embassy in Yemen had blamed them for the assault on “Eternity Sea,” describing it as “the most severe so far.” It noted that the rebels are “undermining freedom of navigation in the Red Sea,” despite a ceasefire agreement with the U.S. that brought an end to weeks of American bombardment in Yemen in May.
UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg expressed concern regarding the “escalation” in the Red Sea, stating during a Security Council meeting, “We are increasingly witnessing a worrying escalation in the Red Sea,” highlighting that these were “the first attacks on commercial vessels in over seven months.” The two attacked vessels were flying the Liberian flag and were operated by Greek companies.
Fast Boats
According to maritime security sources, the “Eternity Sea” was initially attacked on Monday with naval drones and rocket fire launched from fast boats believed to be operated by Houthi militants. The assault damaged the rescue boats on the ship, and by Tuesday morning, it had drifted and was capsizing.
The Houthi militia has attacked over 100 vessels between November 2023 and December 2024. Leading shipping industry associations issued a joint statement yesterday: “These vessels have been targeted in attacks that disregarded the lives of innocent civilian sailors, and as a tragic yet inevitable result, mariners have died.” They added, “This tragedy underscores the urgent need for strong international support to protect maritime transport and vital sea corridors.”