Greek Bulk Carrier Attacked in Red Sea; Crew Safe but Vessel in Danger of Sinking
A Greek-operated bulk carrier, Magic Seas, sustained severe damage in a multi-pronged attack off the coast of Yemen on Sunday, believed to have been carried out by Houthi militants. All 19 crew members aboard were safely rescued and are expected to arrive in Djibouti later Monday, according to the ship’s operator, Stem Shipping.
However, Magic Seas, a Liberian-flagged vessel transporting iron and fertilizers from China to Turkey, is now at risk of sinking, Stem Shipping representative Michael Bodouroglou said. The attack marked the first major maritime assault in the Red Sea corridor since mid-April.
In an intense four-hour assault, the vessel came under fire from gunmen aboard skiffs and was hit by missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, and unmanned sea drones, according to maritime security reports. Fires broke out at the ship’s forepeak, electricity was lost, and flooding was reported in the engine room and two cargo holds before the crew abandoned the ship.
“We don’t have any further information since the crew, terrorized, abandoned the vessel,” Bodouroglou told Reuters. “It struck us like lightning.”
The Magic Seas had previously made a port call in Israel, but Bodouroglou emphasized that the ship’s current voyage had no links to the country. The vessel received no warning before the ambush.
In response to the incident, the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) issued a strong condemnation of the attack, calling for urgent international action to protect seafarers operating in conflict zones.
“Seafarers are not targets,” said INTERCARGO Chairman John Xylas. “We are deeply shocked by the attack on the Magic Seas, and our thoughts are with the crew. These are innocent people, simply doing their jobs, keeping global trade moving. No one at sea should ever face such violence.”
Xylas called on global maritime and security authorities to act swiftly and decisively to protect vessels transiting the region and to enforce international maritime law. “The safety of seafarers must come first,” he said. “INTERCARGO stands firmly with our members and all those affected.”
The attack comes amid heightened tensions in the region following the outbreak of war in Gaza in October 2023. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have launched numerous attacks on commercial shipping in what they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians. Israel, which has retaliated with airstrikes, launched its first strike on Houthi positions in nearly a month on Monday. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Washington and the Houthis remains in place but does not extend to Israel.
The rescue of the Magic Seas crew was coordinated by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and facilitated by a passing merchant vessel that picked up the seafarers from lifeboats.
“Fortunately, we had no injuries,” Bodouroglou said.
(Reuters + Staff)
