Houthis Claim Bulker Sank After Yesterday’s Attack as Crew Reaches Safety
A spokesperson for the Houthi militants in Yemen issued a statement claiming that the Greek-owned bulker Magic Seas sank today in the Red Sea, less than 24 hours after it was attacked. They provided details on a coordinated and prolonged attack on the vessel as they promised to continue the blockade of all shipping associated with Israel.
There is no independent confirmation of the sinking of the Magic Seas (63,00 dwt) from international sources, but the Houthis claim to have audio and video of the sinking, which has not yet been released. In the past, the group has also prematurely claimed sinking ships.
The vessel was managed by Allseas Marine of Greece, which so far has not commented. The ship was built in 2016, and AIS signals show it had been in China and made a stop in Singapore. It was bound for the Suez Canal.
EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta issued a statement confirming the details of the evacuation of the crew. It said the vessel was 51 nautical miles southwest of Hudaydah, Yemen, and that it had coordinated the rescue of the 22 crew from the vessel. They abandon ship into a life raft and were picked up by a passing merchant vessel. Atalanta reports it coordinated with the Djibouti Coast Guard to ensure the crew’s disembarkation. The Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority reports rescued by the containership Safeen Prism brought the crew to Djibouti. The 22 seafarers saved including one Romanian, one Vietnamese, and twenty Filipino nationals.
The Houthis claimed to have used two unmanned boats, five ballistic missiles, and three drones in a coordinated and prolonged attack on the Magic Seas. The armed guards aboard the vessel reported gunshots and rocket-propelled grenades in the first assault and said they had returned fire. Ambrey is reporting that the guards were able to destroy two of the explosive-laden drone boats.
Atalanta confirmed there was a fire aboard the vessel, while the company told the UK Maritime Trade Operations that the vessel was taking on water when the crew abandoned ship. The Houthis in the past have been known to return to abandoned ships to hasten their sinking.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree took to social media to report the sinking, saying that they had warned the ship and that they “allowed” the crew to disembark. He said the attack was because the shipping company had sent three vessels into Israel, including one vessel last week.
The shipping community is on edge after the attack, which comes as Donald Trump has said Israel and Hamas are close to an agreement on a 60-day ceasefire. This was the first targeting of a commercial vessel in 2025, although the Houthis had targeted U.S. warships in the Red Sea this year. Companies including CMA CGM and MSC Mediterranean Shipping were reported in recent days to have sent some of their vessels back through the Red Sea, but traffic remains far below historic levels.
Atalanta is urging vessels to register with it so that it can provide the most efficient monitoring and response. It reports that the operation remains committed to “ensuring the protection of vulnerable vessels,” while its sister operation, Aspides, highlighted its latest close protection mission, including a CMA CGM containership on July 5. In June, Aspides said in 16 months of operation, it had supported more than 920 merchant vessels.