The search for missing crew members of the Eternity C, a bulk carrier sunk by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, has officially ended with four confirmed dead and 11 still unaccounted for, according to private maritime security firms involved in the recovery effort.
Satellite imagery captured in recent days shows widespread oil slicks drifting from the sites of two recent attacks, Eternity C and Magic Seas, both commercial vessels struck by the Iran-aligned Houthis as part of their ongoing campaign against international shipping, which they say is in protest of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The Eternity C, sailing under a Liberian flag, came under sustained assault on July 7. Despite having a three-man private security team onboard, it did not request naval escort from either the U.S. Navy or the EU’s Operation Aspides.
The ship endured hours of bombardment by small arms fire and drone attacks before it ultimately sank beneath the waves.
Private maritime security firms Ambrey and Diaplous Group, who managed the onboard security, led the search-and-rescue operation.
According to Operation Aspides, the EU’s naval mission in the region, ten individuals were rescued following the attack. Among the survivors were eight Filipino crew members, a Greek national, and one Indian, all part of the crew and private security personnel.
However, four persons are now presumed dead, and 11 remain missing. The announcement brings a tragic close to one of the most high-profile shipping attacks since Houthi hostilities in the Red Sea escalated last year.
While the Houthis have claimed responsibility for the attack, they also alleged that some of the missing crew were taken into custody, a claim that remains unverified. The U.S. Embassy in Yemen responded by stating it believed the rebels had “kidnapped” members of the crew.
