The ten rescued crew members from the lost bulker Eternity C have arrived safely at a port in Saudi Arabia, bringing a saga that began seven days ago to a close.
Six Filipino crew members from the ship were pulled from the water and taken to Yemen by the Houthi militants who sank the ship, according to a final tally from maritime risk management firm Vanguard Tech.
At least four crew members are believed to have died from injuries sustained in the initial attack, and five others are missing and now presumed dead (nine presumed fatalities).
The lost include seven Filipinos, one Russian national and one Indian security guard.
The owner of the Eternity C has called off the search for the remaining missing crew members, according to maritime security advisory Diaplous Group.
The government of the UK has called for the immediate and unconditional release of the crew members taken by Houthi forces.
The UK noted that the crew members had no connection to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which motivates the Houthis’ anti-shipping campaign, and it called the attack on their vessel a terrorist act.
In a statement, the Houthi communications centre confirmed that “several” crew members were pulled from the water by the attackers.
The centre claimed that the survivors were provided with medical care and taken to a “safe location.”
The group did not provide a timeline for their release and repatriation.
