Houthi Militants Release Video of Kidnapped ETERNITY C Crew Members

Crew members of the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier ETERNITY C have appeared in what maritime security experts describe as a heavily scripted propaganda video following their kidnapping by Houthi militants. The ten sailors, captured after their vessel was attacked and subsequently sank earlier this month, are shown thanking their captors for “treating them well” and apologizing to Palestine while clearly under duress.

In the video, the captive crew members claim they were en route to Eilat, Israel – an assertion directly contradicted by the vessel’s operator, Cosmoship Management, who stated that the ship “had delivered a cargo for the UN World Food Program to Berbera, Somalia and was sailing in ballast condition to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for fuel at the time of the attack.”

The initial assault, taking place July 7, occurred approximately 50 nautical miles from Al Hudaydah, Yemen, when the vessel was targeted with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speed boats. Four crew members are believed to have been killed in the initial attack.

Following a second attack the next morning morning, the remaining crew abandoned ship, jumping into the water. The ETERNITY C ultimately sank on July 9.

Maritime security sources report that ten crew members were rescued by a privately led mission, including eight Filipino nationals, one Indian, and one Greek security guard. Four of these survivors endured nearly 48 hours in the water before their rescue on Thursday morning. Five additional crew members are feared dead, while Houthi forces are believed to be holding another ten captive, which appears to be confirmed by the video.

On July 9, a Houthi military spokesperson claimed in a televised address that “the Yemeni navy had responded to rescue a number of the ship’s crew, provide them with medical care, and transport them to a safe location.”

Cosmoship Management said in a statement they are “deeply relieved to see… that ten of our missing crew members, as well as one of the vessel’s security guards (11 in total), are alive and appear to be receiving care. This confirmation brings great comfort to all of us at Cosmoship, and especially to the families who have waited anxiously for news.”

The ETERNITY C carried 22 crew members and three guards at the time of the attack. The incident marks the first fatalities in the region since June 2024 and the deadliest attack since the Houthi campaign began in November 2023.

The attack occurred shortly after Houthis hit and sank another vessel, the Magic Seas. Both ships were Liberian-flagged and operated by Greek companies. All crew from the Magic Seas were rescued before it sank.

According to shipping data analysis, sister vessels in both fleets had made calls to Israeli ports in the past year, potentially making them targets in the Houthi campaign.

The video emerges as the Houthis have announced they will reinstate the “fourth phase of the naval blockade” in the Red Sea, which involves “targeting all ships belonging to any company that deals with the ports of the Israeli enemy, regardless of the nationality of that company, and in any location within the reach of the armed forces.”

The loss of Magic Seas and ETERNITY C marks the third and fourth vessels sunk since the Houthi campaign began in November 2023, which has targeted more than 100 ships in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza conflict.

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