Greece to send salvage ship to Red Sea after latest Houthi attacks
Salvage vessel \"Giant\" is moored at the port of Piraeus, before sailing to the Red Sea to assist in maritime accidents and global shipping and protect seafarers, following the Houthi attacks revival, in Piraeus, Greece, July 24, 2025. Greek Shipping Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
ATHENS - Greece will deploy a salvage vessel in the Red Sea to assist in maritime accidents and protect seafarers and global shipping, the shipping minister said on Thursday, following attacks on two Greek vessels by Yemen's Houthi militants this month.
Two Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated cargo ships, Magic Seas and Eternity C, sank off Yemen after repeated attacks by the Iran-aligned militant group.
The strikes on the two vessels marked a resumption of attacks on shipping by the Houthis, who struck more than 100 ships between November 2023 and December 2024 in what they said was a show of solidarity with the Palestinians in the war in Gaza.
Shipping Minister Vassilis Kikilias said the salvage vessel - called Giant and provided by the Hellenic Association of Tugboat Owners - would "support, protect and assist Greek-owned vessels and Greek seafarers".
All of the crew members from the Magic Seas were rescued by a passing ship.
The crew of the Eternity C had to abandon the ship. Ten were rescued by a privately led mission, but five more are feared dead and the Houthis are believed to be holding another 10 crew members, maritime security sources have said.
Aspides, the European Union naval mission protecting shipping in the Red Sea, did not have assets in the area at the time of the incidents.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Asia Live: Thailand, Cambodia clash with jets, rockets, artillery in deadly border row
Asia 11 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border: Reports
Singapore First BTO flats in Greater Southern Waterfront, Mount Pleasant to go on sale in October
Singapore Boy, 15, charged after being caught with vapes 5 times; ordered to stay 2 years in S'pore Boys' Home
Asia 'Vampire coach': Coercive blood sampling in school casts spotlight on Taiwan's culture of obedience
Business MOM probing work injury claim flagged by late Sumo Salad boss Jane Lee: Dinesh
Tech From aviation to healthcare, workers have taken small steps to be early adopters of AI in Singapore
Singapore Over 2 years' jail for man who worked with wife to cheat her then boyfriend of $220k
Giant is manned by a specialist crew of 14 Greek sailors, has four engines with 16,000 horsepower, and can sail in the most adverse weather conditions, the Shipping Ministry said.
It can participate in search and rescue operations, with accommodation for 40 people, help prevent marine pollution and also has firefighting capacity. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
6 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Actress Rebecca Lim says husband brought her peace, security she's never had
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE – Local actress Rebecca Lim never had the desire to become a mother. Not once in her past relationships did she entertain thoughts of starting a family with her partners. But the 38-year-old star began thinking she could be a parent after marrying Mr Matthew Webster. She married Mr Webster, a Singaporean of British-Chinese descent, in 2022. The couple now have a 1½-year-old son. Lim opened up about her life struggles in a candid interview on the podcast Who We Are With Rachel Lim. The hour-long episode with the co-founder of local fashion brand Love, Bonito was streamed on YouTube and Spotify on Aug 12. '(Matthew) gave me the peace and security I never had, and it made me think maybe I can have a family with this man,' Lim said. The actress also discussed her ongoing issues with mum guilt when she returned to the entertainment industry to film a long-form English drama in July 2024. Her son was then about seven months old. Filming went on for nine months, and Lim found herself crying and struggling with inadequacy in the initial weeks. Besides not being able to memorise her lines because of 'brain fog', she felt stressed because 'physically, you don't look 100 per cent'. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore banks face headwinds in rest of 2025, but DBS is pulling ahead: Analysts Singapore HSA seeks Kpod investigators to arrest abusers, conduct anti-trafficking ops Singapore Yishun man admits to making etomidate-laced pods for vaporisers; first Kpod case conviction Opinion The 30s are heavy: Understanding suicide in Singapore's young adults Asia Malaysia's anti-graft agency busts arms smuggling ring masterminded by senior military officers Singapore 4 taken to hospital after accident near Sports Hub, including 2 rescued with hydraulic tools Asia Mixed reactions among Malaysia drivers on S'pore move to clamp down on illegal ride-hailing services Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story 'Then while I'm at work, I don't feel 100 per cent a mother because I'm leaving my son at home,' she said, adding that she was 'not here, not there'. 'I felt terrible, guilty and inadequate as an actor and as a mother then. It took me a few months to slowly get back into the swing of things. I think what motherhood has taught me is to be 100 per cent present.' Lim, who recently hosted the variety show With Love, Becks (2024), also addressed the image pressures she faced post-partum, especially when she made her first public appearance at Star Awards 2024. 'It was two months after giving birth, and you face your female colleagues who all looked gorgeous,' she recalled. 'Why do I still look like that? Why can't I find a dress to fit into? I underestimated the stress of having to turn up looking good for the event.' Lim admitted that, in hindsight, she should not have emphasised how she looked and stressed herself out. She has now found a 'new equilibrium' as a mum, and also learnt to embrace ageing gracefully. She said: 'That sense of insecurity will never go away because you're constantly exposed. But what's important is how you snap out of it.'
Straits Times
35 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Wildfires scorch Greece for a second day, thousands evacuated
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Nearly 5,000 firefighters assisted by 33 aircraft were deployed to contain the flames stoked by winds and hot, dry conditions near Patras. PATRAS, Greece - Firefighters battled multiple wildfires across Greece on Aug 13, including blazes threatening villages and towns near the western city of Patras and on two tourist islands. Fires have burned houses, farms and factories and prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents and tourists since Aug 12. Dozens of people have been taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation since then, public broadcaster ERT reported. Some 13 firefighters have been treated for burns and other injuries, fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told a televised briefing on Aug 13. Nearly 5,000 firefighters assisted by 33 aircraft were deployed from dawn to contain the flames stoked by winds and hot, dry conditions near Patras, on the tourist islands of Chios and Zakynthos and in at least three inland spots. "Today, it will be another very difficult day, as the wildfire risk for most of the country's regions will be very high," Mr Vathrakogiannis said. Temperatures were forecast to reach 34 deg C in some places. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore banks face headwinds in rest of 2025, but DBS is pulling ahead: Analysts Singapore Yishun man admits to making etomidate-laced pods for vaporisers; first Kpod case conviction Singapore HSA seeks Kpod investigators to arrest abusers, conduct anti-trafficking ops Asia Malaysia's anti-graft agency busts arms smuggling ring masterminded by senior military officers Asia Mixed reactions among Malaysia drivers on S'pore move to clamp down on illegal ride-hailing services Singapore 4 taken to hospital after accident near Sports Hub, including 2 rescued with hydraulic tools Business Singapore life insurance sales surges in first half, led by boost in investment-linked plans Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story Flames and dark smoke billowed over a cement factory that was set alight by a wildfire that swept through olive groves and forests and disrupted rail traffic near Patras on Aug 13. "What it looks like? It looks like doomsday. We came from Athens with our volunteer association Kleisthenis, we can't do anything more. May God help us and help people here,' said volunteer firefighter Giorgos Karavanis, who was working on the fire near Patras. The authorities ordered residents of a town of about 7,700 people near Patras to evacuate on Aug 12 and issued new alerts on Aug 13, advising residents of two nearby villages to leave their homes. On the island of Chios, the coast guard used boats to take people to safety on Aug 12 as flames reached the shores. Spain, Portugal, Turkey and the Balkans have also battled wildfires in recent days as a heatwave pushed temperatures over 40 deg C across parts of Europe. In Albania and Montenegro, wildfires have destroyed houses and possessions since last week. REUTERS
Straits Times
35 minutes ago
- Straits Times
4 taken to hospital after accident near Sports Hub, including 2 rescued with hydraulic tools
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The accident happened at the junction of Mountbatten Road and Guillemard Road. SINGAPORE – Two people had to be rescued from a car with hydraulic tools after an accident near the Sports Hub in Kallang on Aug 13 . They were among four who were taken to hospital after the accident. When contacted, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to an accident at th e junction of Mountbatten Road and Guillemard Road at about 8am . It added that one person was found trapped in the driver's seat of a car while another was trapped in a rear passenger seat. 'SCDF freed the two people using hydraulic rescue equipment,' it said. Two people were taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and one was taken to Raffles Hospital . Another person was taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, said SCDF. Video footage posted online, which has since been deleted, shows four SCDF vehicles and an SCDF ambulance stationary near a traffic junction. A person is seen lying on a stretcher near one of the SCDF fire engines. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore banks face headwinds in rest of 2025, but DBS is pulling ahead: Analysts Singapore Yishun man admits to making etomidate-laced pods for vaporisers; first Kpod case conviction Singapore HSA seeks Kpod investigators to arrest abusers, conduct anti-trafficking ops Asia Malaysia's anti-graft agency busts arms smuggling ring masterminded by senior military officers Asia Mixed reactions among Malaysia drivers on S'pore move to clamp down on illegal ride-hailing services Business Singapore life insurance sales surges in first half, led by boost in investment-linked plans Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story At the traffic junction, uniformed officers can be seen crowding near the rear bumper of a silver car with its boot open. Other officers can also be seen near its rear left passenger seat. Across the road, a stationary white car with a damaged front bumper is seen, with plastic debris strewn on the road between the two cars. At 8.20am, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) posted on its X account that an accident had occurred on Sims Way. It advised motorists to avoid lanes 1 and 4. The Straits Times has contacted the police for more information.
