The vessel, carrying 22 crew members (21 Filipinos and 1 Russian) and an armed security detachment, suffered damage to its bridge and telecommunications suite. Two sailors were killed, and two are missing, according to the European Union’s Operation Aspides, which is tasked with protecting Red Sea shipping.
Just hours earlier, on Sunday, Houthi forces attacked the Liberian-flagged, Greek-managed vessel Magic Seas, firing on its port side with four unmanned surface vessels—two laden with explosives—and a barrage of projectiles that ignited its cargo hold and breached the hull.All 19 crew members abandoned ship and were rescued by a passing merchant vessel, arriving safely in Djibouti. The Houthis claimed they had sunk the ship, but commercial manager Stem Shipping has stated there is no independent verification of the vessel’s status.
Anil Trigunayat, Former Ambassador of India to Jordan, Libya and Malta noted that these strikes “underscore the vulnerability of the Bab el Mandeb and Red Sea chokepoints—forcing ships around the Cape of Good Hope, driving up freight costs and threatening global trade.”
It’s a stark reminder of how Houthi actions have exposed critical weaknesses in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The Red Sea is estimated to have handled roughly 15% of global maritime trade, and since these attacks began, experts say traffic through this artery has dropped by around 50%.
An Aspides official said that the Eternity C sustained severe flooding in its engine room and at least two cargo holds, causing it to list and drift in waters where no Aspides warship was immediately available to render assistance. Whilst an evacuation order was issued, the lifeboats were rendered inoperable, and so the fate of the missing crew members remains uncertain.
These twin strikes come at a pivotal moment as ceasefire talks in the Israel–Palestine conflict and negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme unfold. Analysts warn that renewed Houthi operations could provoke further military responses from Western powers, notably the United States and Israel.Israel has already responded. On Monday, it launched missile strikes against Houthi-controlled ports and the Ras Kanatib power station in retaliation.
The Southern Red Sea, including the critical Bab el Mandeb strait, is a major shipping route carrying over $1 trillion in annual trade, and India too benefits from safe passage in the region.
“The Strait of Bab el Mandeb is a choke point through which much of the traffic from the Suez Canal, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea must transit, making it vital to global economies, particularly for India,” said Vice Admiral Pradeep Chauhan, AVSM and Bar, VSM (Retd), former Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy and Director General of the National Maritime Foundation.
Vice Admiral Chauhan warns, “economies of scale will now favour larger vessels rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope, passing increased freight costs on to consumers and impacting economic development.”
Maritime security firms caution that vessels affiliated with Israeli ports or operators face heightened targeting, regardless of their cargo origin or destination.
“No one at sea should ever face such violence,” said John Xylas, chairman of the dry bulk shipping association Inter-Cargo, emphasizing the need for urgent diplomatic de-escalation to safeguard global trade routes.
Securing the area, however, is a challenge. As retired Indian Navy Submarine Commander Ranjan Bhattacharya explains, “At Bab el Mandeb, the lane narrows to about two miles for container ships, leaving vessels exposed to any small arms fire with no room to manoeuvre.”
As ‘The Eternity C’ remains adrift and ‘The Magic Seas’ sleeps beneath the waves, industry stakeholders underscore the urgent need for a concerted push for negotiated settlements.
The need goes beyond global trade & commerce, economic hits, and ecological destruction; it’s about saving the lives of merchant navy personnel who hail from across the world.
