Business Sectors
Business Sectors
Events
Contents
Philippines say Houthis will release nine crew held captive after sinking of bulker Eternity C
Statement from Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs says nine Filipino seafarers are to be released and moved from Yemen to Oman before being repatriated
Nine crew members who have been held hostage since Houthi militia missiles sank bulker Eternity C in the Red Sea in early July 2025 are said to be on their way home.
The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) published a notice to its government media channels saying the Sultanate of Oman had confirmed the release of the nine Filipino crew members who were taken into custody after being ’rescued’ by Houthi vessels in the Red Sea.
"The release was the outcome of efforts of Oman, in co-operation with the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs," the statement said, noting personal diplomatic communications between the Foreign Ministers of both countries in July and again in November 2025.
The Philippines expressed ’sincerest appreciation’ to the Omani government and said the Philippine Embassy in Muscat and Migrant Workers Office in Muscat would be making arrangements for "the safe and immediate return of the Filipinos to the Philippines".
Although the nine crew members appear to be on their way home, the fate of two further sailors working on board Eternity C remains unclear.
According to statements from crew representatives Cosmoship Management, there were 22 crew and three guards on board Eternity C. Of those 25 personnel on board, 10 were confirmed rescued by non-Houthi search and rescue teams engaged by the shipmanagement company in the aftermath of the Houthi attack on the vessel. Two were confirmed deceased and two others were lost and feared to have died, leaving 11 unaccounted for.
A heavily edited Houthi proof of life video published at the end of July 2025 claimed the militia group had 11 of Eternity C’s personnel in custody. If the video is genuine, the additional 10 crew and one security guard claimed to be in Houthi custody would take the total number of survivors to 21. The Houthi release of nine crew from Eternity C leaves two of the vessel’s personnel still unaccounted for.
Riviera has contacted Cosmoship Management representatives and will update this article with any response.
A video released on Houthi propaganda channels in July claimed to show 2012-built, 36,830-dwt bulk carrier Eternity C sinking, and the Houthi-linked X profile Ameen Hayyan posted an image and video purportedly of the vessel foundering along with statements suggesting the vessel was targeted due to visits or intended visits to occupied Palestinian ports.
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) unit of the UK’s Royal Navy said that third-party reports on Eternity C’s status said the vessel had been under heavy fire and continuous attack for several hours overnight from 7-8 July.
"The Company Security Officer reports the vessel has been attacked by five rocket-propelled grenades and is being approached by multiple small craft," UKMTO said in its first update. Later, UKMTO said "the vessel has sustained significant damage and has lost all propulsion. The vessel is surrounded by small craft and is under continuous attack."
In an update from early on 9 July, UKMTO said search and rescue operations had commenced overnight, with five crew members rescued and the search continuing for those who remain missing.
In addition to the skiffs involved, Diaplous said the assault on 36,800-dwt Eternity C involved at least two drones, four rocket-propelled grenades and "intense firing".
Related to this Story
Events
Maritime Regulations Webinar Week
16 Dec 2025
GMT - ONLINE
Floating energy: successfully unlocking stranded gas using FLNGs and FSRUs
24 Feb 2026GMT - ONLINE
© 2026 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.
