Ten people have been rescued from the Red Sea after their ship sank near Yemen following an attack by the Houthis, according to the European Union’s maritime security mission, with several others believed to be being held by the rebel group.
The Houthis said they had taken some of those on board to an undisclosed location following the attack on the Eternity C, the second time they have targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea this week. Maritime security sources said that the Yemeni militia was believed to be holding six crew members.
Three of the 25 people on board were killed in the attack, the EU’s Operation Aspides told CNN.
The ship’s crew consisted of 22 members – 21 Filipinos and one Russian – while a three-person security team was also on board, according to the EU mission, which coordinates rescue operations in the Red Sea.
The mission said that of the ten people recovered from the water on Wednesday and overnight into Thursday, eight were Filipino crew members, while the other two were security personnel, of Greek and Indian nationality.
The Eternity C, a commercial bulk carrier flying Liberian flag and operated by a Greek firm, was attacked for days by the Houthis with multiple rocket-propelled grenades from small craft, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO). The ship sank on Wednesday morning, UKMTO said.
