6 Confirmed Survivors, 9 Presumed Dead After Houthi Attack on Bulker
Eternity C was the fourth ship sunk by Houthi forces and the second in one week
Six Filipino crewmembers from the ship were pulled from the water and taken to Yemen by the Houthi militants who sank the ship, according to a final tally from maritime risk management firm Vanguard Tech. At least four crewmembers are believed to have died from injuries sustained in the initial attack, and five others are missing and now presumed dead (nine presumed fatalities). The lost include seven Filipinos, one Russian national and one Indian security guard. The owner of the Eternity C has called off the search for the remaining missing crewmembers, according to maritime security advisory Diaplous Group.
The government of the UK has called for the immediate and unconditional release of the crewmembers taken by Houthi forces. The UK noted that the crewmembers had no connection to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which motivates the Houthis' anti-shipping campaign, and it called the attack on their vessel a terrorist act.
In a statement, the Houthi communications center confirmed that "several" crewmembers were pulled from the water by the attackers. The center claimed that the survivors were provided with medical care and taken to a "safe location." The group did not provide a timeline for their release and repatriation.
On July 7, the bulker Eternity C was transiting about 50 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah when it was assaulted by personnel in multiple skiffs. The vessel was then hit by multiple missile strikes, disabling its engine and causing it to flood. Photographic evidence from the scene shows two penetrations in the hatch cover of the aftmost hold, one penetration in the deckhouse, and one apparent internal blast in the engine room - evidenced by a hole in the hull with outward petaling of the shell plating, according to analyst Basha Report.
Eternity C was the fourth ship sunk by Houthi forces and the second in one week, following the attack on the Magic Seas on July 6. All four of the vessels attacked and destroyed by Houthi forces were hit by multiple modes of assault, including missiles, bomb boats and (in three cases) hand-placed charges. A fifth vessel - the crude oil tanker Sounion - failed to sink despite severe damage and was successfully salvaged, averting a major oil spill.
The environmental impact of these sinkings is still being assessed. Satellite imaging obtained over the weekend shows oil slicks extending from the wreck sites of the Magic Seas and Eternity C, as would be expected from leaks from their bunker tanks.
Search for Missing Crew From Bulker Eternity C Called Off
The owner of the bulker Eternity C has called off the search for the remaining missing crewmembers, according to maritime security advisory Diaplous Group.
On July 7, the bulker Eternity C was transiting about 50 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah when it was assaulted by personnel in multiple skiffs. The vessel was then hit by multiple missile strikes, disabling its engine and causing it to flood. Four crewmembers are believed to be dead, 10 survived, and an unconfirmed number were rescued (captured) by the Houthis.
European, Egyptian, Saudi and Chinese naval forces are all within a few days' transit distance of the area, but no government assets appear to have joined directly in the search for the missing. The U.S. Navy wound down its maritime security presence in the Red Sea area after reaching a bilateral ceasefire deal with the Houthis in May.
A private security mission led by Diaplous and Ambrey rescued the 10 confirmed survivors, including eight Filipino crewmembers and two guards. That mission has now headed back to a safe port.
"At the owner's request, Diaplous and Ambrey have had to end their search for the remaining crew of the Eternity C. The decision to end the search has been taken by the vessel's owner reluctantly but it believes that, in all the circumstances, the priority must now be to get the 10 souls safely recovered alive ashore and to provide them with the urgent medical support they need," Diaplous said in a statement.
The shipowner may not have had war risk insurance for this particular transit, according to Lloyd's List. The outlet reports that the Eternity C's war risk insurer took the rare decision to decline cover for a passage of the southern Red Sea. The hazard to Eternity C may have been elevated because of the profile of the owner's fleet: the Houthis have previously threatened to attack the interests of shipowners who have any vessels that call in Israel, and Eternity C's owner has at least two other ships that have visited Israeli ports, according to maritime risk consultancy Vanguard Tech.
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