16 Confirmed Survivors, 9 Presumed Dead After Houthi Attack on Bulker
The ten rescued crewmembers from the lost bulker Eternity C have arrived safely at a port in Saudi Arabia, bringing a saga that began seven days ago to a close.
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.