8/10/2025
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Houthis sink aid ship from Somalia, detain 10 crew members
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    Friday August 1, 2025


    Aerial image shows the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier MV Eternity C sinking in the Red Sea after being struck by Houthi sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades on July 7–8, 2025. The vessel had departed Somalia after delivering food aid for the United Nations World Food Programme. At least four crew members were killed and several others remain detained by the Houthis. 


    Mogadishu (HOL) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacked and sank a merchant vessel carrying humanitarian aid from Somalia earlier this month, killing at least four crew members and detaining ten others without legal basis, according to maritime security sources and human rights organizations.

    The ship, MV Eternity C, a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier operated by the Greece-based Cosmo Ship Management, had just completed a humanitarian delivery to the Port of Berbera for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and was en route to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, when it was struck by sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades on July 7 and 8 in the Red Sea. The vessel was left adrift before sinking near Yemen’s Houthi-controlled coastline.

    The attack resulted in the deaths of at least four crew members—including three Filipinos and a Russian national—and left others missing or injured. A privately-led rescue mission retrieved ten survivors, but six crew members were reportedly kidnapped by the Houthis and taken to areas under rebel control, including Sana’a.

    On July 28, Houthi media released a propaganda video showing several detained crew members, including nine Filipinos and a Russian electrician. Human Rights Watch condemned the footage, stating there was no evidence the vessel posed a military threat or had links to Israel, calling the attack and the forced confessions “violations amounting to war crimes.”

    “The unjustified detention of civilian seafarers delivering food aid is both unlawful and morally reprehensible,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

    The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers confirmed the identities of the nine Filipino crew and said it is coordinating with international partners to secure their release. “They are in stable condition, but we have serious concerns about their safety and the legality of their detention,” said Minister Hans Cacdac.

    The Eternity C incident followed another Houthi attack on the MV Magic Seas, also operated by a Greek firm. Both vessels were targeted within the same week, reviving concerns over maritime insecurity in the Red Sea.

    Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out over 100 attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza as justification. According to reporting from Al Jazeera, these attacks have disrupted global shipping routes, triggered retaliatory airstrikes from the United States and its allies, and forced several multinational firms to reroute vessels away from the Suez Canal.

    The Eternity C, which left Berbera on July 6, had no known ties to Israel. Despite this, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the vessel was headed to Eilat to load fertilizer, framing it as a legitimate target under the group’s self-declared maritime blockade.

    The United States, the European Union military force Operation Aspides, and the internationally recognized Yemeni government all blamed the Houthis for the attack and demanded the unconditional release of the kidnapped sailors.

    The Red Sea previously carried more than 12% of global trade, but shipping activity has declined sharply since the resurgence of Houthi attacks. According to The East African, freight costs for East African exporters have tripled, while insurance premiums on vessels passing through the region have more than doubled. Somali exports from Berbera and Bosaso ports are increasingly vulnerable, particularly for perishable goods like livestock and produce bound for the Gulf.

    Meanwhile, the WFP has yet to issue a public comment on the loss of the Eternity C, though humanitarian groups have warned that such attacks could endanger critical aid deliveries to conflict-affected regions in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

    The crew’s status remains unclear, and international pressure is mounting on the Houthis to release them immediately.

     





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