On the evening of 9 July local time, a spokesman for the Yemeni armed group issued a statement saying that the group had used an unmanned speedboat and six missiles to target the ETERNITY C, which was heading for an Israeli port in violation of the ban on navigation, and had succeeded in hitting the target, leading to the sinking of the vessel.
Following the attack, the group reportedly said it had rescued some of the crew and taken them to safety. This is the second cargo ship sunk by the militant group in a week for allegedly violating its ban on navigation. Recently, after releasing a video of the sinking of the Magic Seas in the Red Sea, the group released live footage of the attack on the Eternity C. The video shows the attack on the vessel.
This video records the entire process of the missile launch and impact on the cargo ship, which ultimately led to the sinking of the vessel. The footage shows that a missile struck a cargo hold close to the ship's superstructure, causing a severe breach in the hold, with damage extending all the way down to the deck and two holes visible near the hull's waterline. The ship eventually began to sink from the stern and then the entire ship sank into the sea. It is reported that the ETERNITY C was the second ship to sink in two days and the fourth commercial vessel sunk by the organization. The incident resulted in the tragic death of 4 of the 25 crew members, 6 crew members were rescued after drifting in the sea for more than 24 hours, and the whereabouts of another 15 crew members are unknown.
The armed group claimed to have "rescued the remaining part of the crew from the water and transferred them to a safe place".
The recent ship attacks marked the first large-scale attack since October 2024, ending nearly nine months of relative calm in this important international waterway. Some analysts have suggested that ships may have been targeted for reasons related to their previous calls to Israeli ports or ownership relationships with ships calling at Israeli ports.
Since November 2023, armed groups in the region have attacked more than 100 commercial vessels, killing at least seven people and severely damaging many ships.
China calls for maintaining navigation safety in Red Sea waters
The Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations made a statement at the Security Council's open meeting on Yemen on July 9, calling for the maintenance of the safety of shipping lanes in the Red Sea waters.
The representative of China expressed deep concern over the armed attacks on two cargo ships in the Red Sea waters a few days ago, and reiterated his call on the parties concerned to respect the right of commercial vessels of all countries to navigate in the waters of the Red Sea in accordance with international law, to desist from attacking commercial vessels, and to safeguard the safety of shipping lanes in the waters of the Red Sea. China is concerned about the deteriorating trend in the development of the situation in the region, and calls on all parties to remain calm and exercise restraint and to avoid actions that would stimulate the escalation of tensions.
The representative of China emphasized that all parties to the conflict in Yemen are expected to demonstrate political will, strengthen dialogue and communication, gradually build mutual trust and create conditions for a final political settlement of the Yemeni issue. China calls on the international community to increase its humanitarian assistance to Yemen and to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis there.
The representative of China pointed out that the resolution of the problems in Yemen and the Red Sea could not be achieved without the easing and cooling of the overall situation in the region. The fighting in Gaza should subside at an early date, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza should come to an end at an early date, and the "two-State solution" should be implemented at an early date. The ceasefire agreement reached by the parties concerned should be respected. The sovereignty of a State should be respected, and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations should be followed.
Author: Kim
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