Houthis release crew of Greek-operated cargo ship struck in Red Sea

ATHENS, Dec 3 (Reuters) – The crew of the Greek-operated cargo ship Eternity C, which sank in the Red Sea in July after being attacked by Yemen’s Houthis, have been released, an official with the ship’s operator and a maritime security source told Reuters on Wednesday.

The crew of the Liberia-flagged Eternity C abandoned the ship before it sank following repeated strikes by the Iran-aligned militants with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades.

Rescuers pulled crew members alive from the Red Sea and Houthis later said they were holding a group of the seafarers, including one security guard.

The United States Mission in Yemen had accused the Houthis of kidnapping them and called for their immediate and unconditional safe release.

Nine Filipino seafarers, one Russian and one Indian national were expected to leave Yemen and arrive in Oman later on Wednesday, the Cosmoship Management official said.

Days before the Eternity C was struck, Houthis had targeted another ship, the Magic Seas. All crew from the Magic Seas were rescued before it sank.

The strikes on the ships had marked a revival 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 in the Gaza war.

(Reporting by Renee Maltezou, editing by Ed Osmond)