Greece to deploy ship to Red Sea following Houthi attacks

Greece plans to send a salvage ship to the Red Sea to help with maritime emergencies and to safeguard both seafarers and international shipping routes, according to The New Arab via Reuters.  

The country’s shipping minister, Vassilis Kikilias, made the announcement on July 24th, following attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on two Greek-ships earlier in July.

The Magic Seas and Eternity C, both cargo vessels flying the Liberian flag but managed by Greek companies, sank near Yemen after suffering repeated assaults by the Iran-backed group.

These incidents mark a renewal of Houthi attacks on maritime traffic. Between November 2023 and December 2024, the group carried out strikes on over 100 vessels, claiming the operations were in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza conflict.

Kikilias said the rescue ship — named Giant and supplied by the Hellenic Association of Tugboat Owners — would “support, protect and assist Greek-owned vessels and Greek seafarers.”

A passing ship successfully rescued all crew members from the Magic Seas.

The crew aboard the Eternity C was forced to abandon the vessel. While ten individuals were saved through a privately organised rescue effort, five others are presumed dead, and another ten are reportedly being held by the Houthis, according to maritime security sources.

At the time of the attacks, Aspides, the European Union’s naval mission tasked with protecting shipping in the Red Sea, had no assets present in the vicinity during the time of the incidents.

According to the Shipping Ministry, Giant is operated by a specialised team of 14 Greek sailors, is powered by four engines delivering 16,000 horsepower, and is capable of navigating through severe weather conditions.

It is equipped to carry out search and rescue missions, can accommodate up to 40 people, is designed to combat marine pollution, and also has onboard firefighting capabilities.

On July 23rd, Human Rights Watch accused Yemen’s Houthi rebels of carrying out war crimes for deadly attacks that sank two commercial vessels earlier in July. The organisation said the strikes were “violations of the laws of war amounting to war crimes” and found “no evidence that the ships were military targets”.

The New Arab via Reuters, Maghrebi.org