Search called off for crew of Houthi-hit Eternity C ship, maritime agencies say
The decision was made at the request of the vessels owner, both agencies said.
The Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated Eternity C sank on Wednesday morning following attacks over two consecutive days, according to sources at security companies involved in the rescue operation.
Ten of the ships complement of 22 crew and three guards were rescued. The remaining 15 are considered missing, including five who are believed to be dead, maritime security sources said. The Houthis said they had rescued some of the crew.
The crew included 21 Filipinos and one Russian. Three armed guards were also on board, including one Greek and one Indian, who were both rescued.
'The decision to end the search has been taken by the vessels Owner reluctantly but it believes that, in all the circumstances, the priority must now be to get the 10 souls safely recovered alive ashore,' maritime risk management firm Diaplous and British security firm Ambrey said in a joint statement.
The Houthis also claimed responsibility for a similar assault last Sunday targeting another ship, the Magic Seas. All crew from the Magic Seas were rescued before it sank.
The strikes on the two ships marked a resumption of a campaign by the Iran-aligned fighters who attacked more than 100 ships from November 2023 to December 2024 in what they said was solidarity with the Palestinians.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
US military says Yemeni force seized Iranian arms shipment bound for Houthis
DUBAI: The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X on Wednesday that a military group known as the Yemeni National Resistance Forces (NRF) seized a 'massive' Iranian weapons shipment bound for Houthi militants. The NRF is an anti-Houthi force in Yemen led by Tarek Saleh, nephew of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and is not formally part of the internationally recognized government. Yemeni forces 'seized over 750 tons of munitions and hardware to include hundreds of advanced cruise, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft missiles, warheads and seekers, components as well as hundreds of drone engines, air defense equipment, radar systems, and communications equipment,' it added. Since Israel's war in Gaza against the Palestinian militant group Hamas began in October 2023, the Iran-aligned Houthis have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.
Arab News
8 hours ago
- Arab News
Houthi-linked arms traders using X, WhatsApp to sell weapons: Report
LONDON: Arms dealers linked to Yemen's Houthi militia have been using social media platforms such as X and WhatsApp to sell weapons, according to a new report. The Tech Transparency Project, or TTP, identified hundreds of accounts openly dealing in rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and other military-grade equipment, in apparent violation of the platforms' policies. 'X and WhatsApp are providing an essential platform to Houthi-linked arms dealers selling weapons of war,' the report read. 'The companies have policies in place that prohibit that kind of illicit trade but are allowing it to take place in the open.' TTP called the activity 'a threat to US national security interests,' noting the Iran-backed group is designated as a terrorist organization. The months-long investigation by the Washington-based watchdog, which monitors accountability in Big Tech, found that Houthi-affiliated arms dealers had been running commercial weapons stores on both platforms for months, and in some cases, years. Researchers identified at least 130 Yemen-based X accounts and 67 WhatsApp business accounts advertising military-grade equipment or promoting catalogues of guns for sale. These included US-manufactured weapons — some marked 'Property of US Govt' — and other Western arms labeled with 'NATO.' In one instance, a seller listed four M4 carbines — an assault rifle used by the US military and manufactured by FN Herstal and Colt — and directed buyers to WhatsApp. Another account offered a package deal that included a ballistic helmet, night-vision goggles and grenades. Russian weapons, including RPG-7 launchers and AK-47s, also featured prominently. A Soviet RPG-7 was offered for about $1,800, while another account advertised a 'zero mileage' Russian AK-47. Prices for some weapons reportedly reached $10,000, suggesting sales may be intended for other armed groups or insurgents. Many of the accounts displayed allegiance to the Houthi, including photos of weapons in crates marked with Houthi slogans such as 'Death to America, death to Israel.' More than half of the X accounts listed Sanaa — under Houthi control for more than a decade — as their location. Many accounts funneled buyers to WhatsApp business profiles, some of which openly displayed catalogs of rifles and ammunition. A number of these were also linked to Facebook and Instagram accounts, raising further concerns over Meta's enforcement of its firearms policies. Meta, which owns WhatsApp, says it reviews all images submitted to product catalogs, yet researchers found little evidence of enforcement. The company said it had since removed several accounts and claimed it does not profit from this type of activity but declined to answer how the content had bypassed existing filters. 'X and WhatsApp both have policies against weapons sales but they are allowing arms traders linked to a US-designated terrorist group to traffic weapons on their platforms,' said Katie Paul, the director of TTP. 'In some cases these companies may be profiting off violations of their own policies that create risks for US national security.' TTP's findings, which build on a similar August 2024 investigation by The Times, suggest most of the Houthi-linked arms dealer accounts were created or became active following mass layoffs at X and Meta that weakened enforcement capabilities. Many handles had blue ticks and were subscribed to premium services that are supposed to be moderated. Roughly two-thirds of the accounts appear to have posted weapons content in the past six months. 'Both Meta and X have the capital, the tools and the human resources to address this problem, but they're not doing so,' Paul said.
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Rescued crew of Greek ship hit by Houthis arrive in Saudi Arabia
Ten mariners rescued after the Houthi militia sank a Greek ship last week have arrived in Saudi Arabia, maritime security sources said on Monday, after rescuers ended their search for the remaining crew. The rescue mission began on Wednesday when the Iran-aligned group sank the Liberia-flagged Eternity C cargo ship, with 22 crew and three armed guards on board, after attacking the vessel with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades over two consecutive days. Eight crew members and two security guards were rescued. All the crew were Filipino, except for one Russian. On Sunday, maritime risk management firm Diaplous and British security firm Ambrey said in a joint statement that the vessel's owner had decided to end the privately-run search for the remaining crew. 'The decision to end the search has been taken by the vessel's owner reluctantly, but it believes that, in all the circumstances, the priority must now be to get the 10 souls safely recovered alive ashore,' they said. The ship carrying the rescued crew has arrived in Jizan, a Diaplous official said. The remaining 15 people who were on board are considered missing, according to the vessel's Greece-based manager, Cosmoship. Five of them are believed to have died before the vessel sank, according to maritime security sources. The Houthis said last week that they picked up some of the crew after the vessel went down. Cosmoship said that it was trying to verify the claim. Before attacking Eternity C the Houthis had sunk another Greek ship, the Magic Seas. Its crew were rescued by a passing ship. The EU's naval mission Aspides, which protects shipping in the Red Sea, has said that it had no naval assets in the area at the time of the attacks. No international naval force was present, according to maritime security sources. The Houthis have attacked more than 100 ships since November 2023 in what they say is an act of solidarity with the Palestinians over the Gaza war.
