Philippines and Cosmoship Call for Release of Crew After Houthi Video
Following the release of a video by the Houthis parading and interviewing crewmembers from the bulker Eternity C in front of cameras, government officials in the Philippines immediately called for support from other countries to gain the release of the individuals. Cosmoship Management, which was managing the vessel when it was attacked, also issued a statement calling on all parties to assist in the repatriation of the crewmembers held in Yemen.
“I do not want to use the term ‘hostage.’ At least we know they are alive,” said Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega, according to the Philippine media. However, he said, “We’re not going to talk directly with the Houthis. We’re going to seek help from friendly countries.”
At the same time, the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers confirmed that nine of the individuals seen in the video are Filipino seafarers from the Eternity C. They said, according to family members who had received calls, the men are in good health and have received medical treatment. The department said that it was working in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs and international partners for the safe release of the crewmembers.
Two weeks ago, eight other Filipino seafarers arrived back in the Philippines. They had been rescued by the salvage teams hired by the shipping company and were flown home with the support of the government and Cosmoship.
The shipping company also released a statement saying it is “deeply relieved” to see the images of the crew. It, too, said it is calling on “all parties to assist in reuniting” the crew currently in Yemen. Cosmoship Management said it will continue to work through “every available channel to support their continued care and to facilitate their safe and swift return.”
The company said there are a total of 10 crewmembers and one of the vessel’s security guards, a total of 11 people, in Yemen. The Houthis, through their news channels, also confirmed they “rescued” 11 people from the sea in what they described as a two-day search and rescue operation. Their report said two individuals were injured and received medical care. In the video, a Russian electrician is in bed, with news reports that he lost his leg during the attack, and one of the Filipinos is seen in bandages. The Houthis only showed 10 people, although they also say they have 11 from the ship in Yemen.
The Houthi report said that they boarded the ship before it sank and found a body which was transferred to the hospital morgue. Cosmoship Management confirmed that two seafarers died during the attack. It says two others remain missing and are “now sadly feared dead.”
During the video, the Houthis showed crewmembers saying they had been told the vessel was going to go to Eilat to load fertilizer. The Houthis then made threats against other ships that might go to Israel and used the crewmembers as a warning.
The Philippines worked for a prolonged period in 2024 to free the crewmembers of the Galaxy Leader after it was seized by the Houthis. Government officials expressed their frustration, noting the negotiations were politically charged. The Houthis ended up holding that crew for 14 months before their release was completed.
Houthis Renew Threats to Israeli Shipping, Put Eternity C Captives on Video
Citing what it called “rapid developments,” the Houthis announced a renewed escalation of their blockade against ships and shipping companies supporting Israel. Hours after releasing its latest threats, the group released a six-minute propaganda video with the crew from the Eternity C dry bulk carrier, which the militants attacked and sank last month. It also issued a direct threat against three other vessels from the same management.
A spokesperson for the militant group said it was warning “all companies to cease their dealings with Israeli ports.” The group went on to say, “Otherwise, their ships, regardless of their destination, will be targeted anywhere that can be reached or within the reach of our missiles and drones.”
The Houthis said they were calling on all countries, “if they want to avoid this escalation,” to pressure Israel to stop the aggression and permit humanitarian aid to reach the citizens of Gaza. The group also said there was “shameful silence” among the Arab, Islamic, and international world.
The move came as the United States and Israel said they had walked away from negotiations with Hamas, with each side blaming the other for the latest failure in the ceasefire talks. Israel, however, said it would take a tactical pause and promised efforts to get more aid into Gaza. Speaking during his trip to Scotland, Donald Trump also called for more efforts to get humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The Houthis are calling this escalation the “fourth phase” of their naval blockade. They, however, have repeatedly said they would be blockading Israeli ports and targeting ships and the companies sending ships to Israel.
In the so-called Yemeni War Media account on X, the group ratcheted up the threats specifically against Cosmoship Management, the operator of the Eternity C. With dramatic music, they flash the names and profiles of three other ships and highlight tracking of their moments.
In today’s other propaganda video, the reported crewmembers of the Eternity C are "interviewed" by their captors and heard to say that they were told by the master of the ship that they were going to stop in Eilat to load fertilizer. The undated video appears to have been shot in part in the hospital room of one of the individuals, the Russian crewmember, who is in bed, and several others can be seen with bandages. Another scene shows the crew given a cellphone to make video calls home.
The Associated Press is reporting that the Houthis have taken captive 11 crewmembers from the Eternity C, with the company having acknowledged the death of four crewmembers. The others were rescued by salvage vessels sent by the vessel’s operators and reportedly taken to Saudi Arabia. In the video, however, only ten people appear to be included. The Houthis have repeatedly asserted that they “successfully rescued” an unspecified number of crew, who were taken to a “safe location” and provided medical care. The group previously held the crew of the car carrier Galaxy Leader for 14 months despite repeated international calls to release the civilian crewmembers from the merchant ship, which was the first the Houthis attacked in November 2023.
After the two ships were sunk and the crewmembers killed aboard the Eternity C, there were reports that the Israelis asked the United States to resume its assaults on the Houthis. Donald Trump had declared that the group had been stopped when the U.S. suspended its attacks in May after two months. Trump has not responded to the killing of the crewmembers and the sinking of the two ships.
EUNAVFOR Aspides released another picture, this time of the Greek HS Psar, which it said has completed another protection mission for merchant ships in the Red Sea region. It continues to escort ships through the region as part of its defensive mission, which the EU extended till early 2026.
No comments:
Post a Comment