The information that circulated on Monday (7/7) about two fatalities on a Greek-owned vessel in the Red Sea has been confirmed by the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry. Responsibility for the incident is attributed to Houthi forces. According to Reuters, there are also unconfirmed reports of a third fatality.
Read: Red Sea – Video from the Greek-Owned Ship Moments After the Houthi Attack – Smoke on Deck, Flooded Floors Before Sinking
The vessel in question is the MV ETERNITY C, sailing under the Liberian flag and owned by Greek company Cosmoship Management. The ship was attacked approximately 50 nautical miles southwest of the port of Al Hudaydah, Yemen.
According to reports, four speedboats carrying armed personnel launched at least four RPG rockets at the vessel. The assault also involved two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). As a result of the attack, the ship became unmanageable and is currently adrift, still under siege and facing continued assaults.
The situation is critical for the 22-member crew, mostly composed of Filipino sailors and one Russian. Two crew members remain missing, while two others have been injured—though detailed information about their condition has not yet been released. According to Greece’s public broadcaster ERT, one of the injured is Russian.
It is noteworthy that the MV ETERNITY C was not accompanied by EUNAVFOR ASPIDES forces—the EU naval mission in the region—at the time of the attack.
Another Ship Attacked
This is the second vessel to be attacked within a 48-hour period. The other ship, Magic Seas, suffered no casualties as the crew abandoned ship, but it caught fire and eventually sank.
Reuters reports ongoing attacks in the Red Sea. Both targeted vessels were under Greek management or Greek ownership. This marks the first time since 2024 that such incidents have resulted in fatalities.
The latest attack has heightened concerns over the safety of international shipping in the Red Sea, a region that remains a flashpoint due to the involvement of Houthi rebels in the Yemeni conflict and their assaults on commercial ships.
Why Are Greek-Owned Ships Being Targeted in the Red Sea?
Commenting on the recent attacks on Greek-owned ships in the Red Sea, international relations expert and Greek MP Angelos Syrigos told ERT News:
“This is the first such attack since December 2024. It’s striking. I don’t know if the ships were heading toward Israeli ports. This point needs clarification, as the Houthis mainly target Israeli ports, or ships heading to or coming from Israel. So that’s a critical detail.”
He added:
“Beyond that, we shouldn’t be too surprised that Greek ships are being targeted. Currently, most vessels passing through the Red Sea Strait toward the Suez Canal are Greek-owned. Other ships are opting to sail around Africa instead. So it’s simply a fact that the majority of vessels navigating this maritime area are Greek-owned.”
