A Greek-owned cargo ship, the Liberian-flagged Eternity C, was attacked in the Red Sea on Monday. At least two crew members have been wounded, and two are missing.
The vessel was targeted by sea drones and skiffs off Hodeidah, Yemen, an area controlled by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels. This incident marks the second such attack in the Red Sea within 24 hours.
The Eternity C, owned by Greek company Cosmoship, was en route to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, when it was struck. The attack was begun by rebels aboard speedboats. They launched a fierce assault with rocket launchers, alongside two unmanned aerial vehicles that exploded upon impact with the ship. The rocket fire struck the ship’s bridge and engine room, rendering the vessel “blind” and unmanageable.
Reports indicate that the ship’s armed security personnel were trapped amidst the wreckage of the bridge, attempting to prevent return fire from the Houthi rebels who were circling the stricken ship in their boats. An immediate order was given to abandon the ship, but the prevailing conditions made this impossible.
The crew consists of 22 Filipinos and three Indian armed guards. Communication with the vessel was impacted after the attack, making it difficult to ascertain the full extent of the situation. Greek government officials have confirmed the attack and nationalities of those on board.
Greek ship sinks after Houthi attack on Sunday
While no group has yet claimed responsibility for this specific strike, it follows closely on the heels of another attack on a Greek-owned vessel.
Just hours prior, Houthi militants claimed responsibility for an assault on the Greek-owned Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Magic Seas in the Red Sea on Sunday.
The Magic Seas was reportedly attacked by drones, missiles, and rocket-propelled grenades, forcing its crew to abandon ship. The vessel then sank. The crew was subsequently rescued by a passing vessel and taken to Djibouti.
Renewed concerns about Red Sea shipping
The two attacks underscore the continued high risk to shipping in the Red Sea region and vital sea lanes around Yemen. The area remains a flashpoint for geopolitical instability and armed group activity, with this incident serving as a stark reminder of ongoing threats to commercial maritime traffic.
In May, President Donald Trump announced the US would stop bombing the Houthis in Yemen. He said that the group had agreed to stop interrupting important shipping lanes in the Middle East. Under the agreement, neither the US nor the Houthis would target the other, including US ships in the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandab Strait.
Later in June, Yemen’s Houthis threatened to target US ships in the Red Sea if Washington became involved in Israeli attacks on Iran. They have not specified whether they will follow through on their threat after US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities last month.
