Greek-Owned Merchant Ship Heading to Occupied Lands Sinking Off Yemen After Houti Resistance Attack
The Greek-owned merchant ship MV MAGIC SEAS came under a sophisticated attack by small boats and drones off Yemen on Sunday and is sinking, reports say. No Greek nationals were on board, and all crew members are reportedly safe.
The brave Houthi attack occurred approximately 59 miles (95 km) southwest of Hodeidah Port.
The attack, which involved a combination of tactics, marks the first such incident against a merchant vessel in the Red Sea since November 2024, highlighting the persistent dangers to international shipping in the region.
Details of the assault on the Greek-owned ship
According to an official announcement from the British organization UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the MV MAGIC SEAS was initially surrounded by eight small speedboats transporting armed individuals. These assailants opened fire using small arms and launched grenades. The ship’s onboard armed security team returned fire.
Further reports indicate that the attackers also deployed four unmanned surface vessels (USVs). The security team successfully intercepted two of these USVs, but the remaining two collided with the ship. Compounding the assault, three anti-ship missiles were fired at the vessel; two struck the MV MAGIC SEAS, while the third missed its target.
As a direct result of these multiple impacts, the MV MAGIC SEAS began taking on water and is now in the process of sinking.
Crew safe amidst rescue efforts
Despite the severity of the attack on the Greek-owned vessel, there have been no reported injuries or fatalities among the twenty-two crew members.
The crew consisted of seventeen Filipino nationals, one Romanian national, one Vietnamese national, and three Sri Lankan nationals who were part of the security team. Yemeni Coast Guard forces are actively involved in rescuing the crew.
It has been noted that the MV MAGIC SEAS had not requested escort or protection from Operation EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, nor were any of the Operation’s warships in close proximity to the merchant vessel at the time of the incident.
Renewed concerns about Red Sea shipping to ‘israel’
This Houthi attack on the Greek-owned MV MAGIC SEAS underscores the continued high risk to shipping in the Red Sea region and the vital sea lanes around Yemen. The area remains a flashpoint for geopolitical instability and armed group activity, with this incident serving as a stark reminder of ongoing threats to commercial maritime traffic.
Tensions in the Middle East remain high over the war in Gaza and following the 12-day Israel-Iran war and airstrikes by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites in June. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis launched more than one hundred attacks targeting shipping from November 2023, saying they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel’s war with Hamas.
During that period, the group sank two ships, seized another, and killed at least four seafarers in an offensive that disrupted global shipping supporting genocide.
