DUBAI, July 11, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Four crew members of a cargo ship attacked 
and sunk by Yemeni rebels earlier this week are presumed dead, an EU naval 
force said Friday, with search operations ongoing in the Red Sea.

"Fifteen crew members are missing. The four presumed casualties are among the 
missing crew members," the European Union's Operation Aspides naval task 
force told AFP, citing a private company conducting search and rescue 
operations.

On Monday, the Iran-backed Huthi rebels attacked the Liberian-flagged bulk 
carrier Eternity C in the Red Sea off the port city of Hodeida for two days 
before sinking it.

It was the second such attack on maritime shipping in the vital waterway in 
as many days after months of hiatus, marking a return to the rebels' campaign 
against shipping they accuse of having links to Israel.

The group says it is acting in solidarity with the Palestinian people over 
the war in Gaza.

"According to our information, the search and rescue operation performed by 
the private company in the area of the attack is ongoing," they added.

A total of 25 people were onboard the ship, according to Aspides.

On Wednesday, the Iran-backed Huthis said they had "rescued" an unspecified 
number of the Eternity C's crew and taken them to a safe location.

The US embassy for Yemen accused the rebels of kidnapping the survivors.

The Huthis, who control large swathes of the Arabian Peninsula's poorest 
country, had paused their attacks a little before a short-lived Gaza 
ceasefire in January before renewed them in recent days.