Monday, 25 May 2026
Rescue teams save four after Houthi attack sinks Greek ship
ATHENS – Rescue teams pulled three crew members and a security guard alive from the Red Sea on Thursday, according to maritime security sources, one day after Houthi militants sank the Greek vessel Eternity C. The militants claim to be holding some missing crew members, Reuters reports.
This marks the second Greek bulk carrier targeted and sunk this week by the Iran-backed Houthi militia, ending months of relative stability off Yemen’s coast — a vital gateway for global oil and commodity shipments.
Due to heightened fears of attacks, many shipping companies have halted their routes through the area. Maritime security sources believe the Houthis are currently detaining six of the Eternity C’s crew, from a total team of 22 sailors and three guards.
“We remain deeply concerned for the well-being of the crew in Houthi custody and for those still unaccounted for,” said Ellie Shafik, head of intelligence at UK-based Vanguard Tech. “Ensuring their safety and quick release should be an urgent priority for all parties.”
The Eternity C was first attacked on Monday by sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speedboats. Four people are believed to have died as a result, according to security sources – potential first casualties since June 2024 in the region.
After a second strike early Tuesday, the remaining crew was forced to abandon ship and jump into the sea. Rescue efforts have been ongoing since Wednesday morning. Cosmoship Management, the vessel’s operator, has not yet issued a statement to Reuters.
So far, ten survivors from Eternity C have been found: eight Filipino crew members, one Indian national, and a Greek security guard. The four most recently rescued survivors had spent nearly two days in the water.
“This successful rescue gives us renewed determination to keep searching for the missing, as requested by the ship’s operator, and confirms our strategy is working,” said Nikos Georgopoulos, an official with Greece’s Diaplous maritime security firm.
Eleven people are still missing.