Rescue Operations for Greek Ship Crew Hit by Houthis Continue

The Philippines announced on Friday, June 15, that the crew of the Greek ship 'Tuiter', which was damaged in an attack by Houthi militants in the Red Sea, is expected to be rescued within a day, although one sailor is still missing. This attack, which occurred on Wednesday near the port of Hodeidah in Yemen, caused severe flooding and damage to the engine room of the 'Tuiter', impairing the maneuverability of this Liberia-flagged coal carrier. Houthi militants, supported by the Iranian government, claimed responsibility for the missile and boat attacks on this ship. Hans Kakdak, Secretary of the Philippine Migrant Workers Department, stated at a press conference in Manila that most of the 22 crew members are Filipinos and that the rescue operations would take place during the day, emphasizing that he could not provide further information to reporters for security reasons. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the President of the Philippines, also mentioned that officials are negotiating with the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency to transfer the crew to Djibouti and bring them home. Maritime sources indicate that the missing crew member is likely trapped in the engine room. Kakdak emphasized that the rest of the crew are safe and have had sufficient access to food. The ship's owner, 'Oland Shipping', based in Athens, did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. Since November of last year, Houthi militants have repeatedly attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden with drone and missile strikes; they have sunk one ship, seized another, killed three sailors in separate attacks, and caused disruptions in global shipping, significantly increasing time and costs in the supply chain. They claim these attacks are to express solidarity with the Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war. The Greek cargo ship was targeted by Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. The British security company Ambrey reported that a cargo ship was hit by a missile off the coast of Yemen. The Houthis claimed to have attacked two ships in the Red Sea. Eight drones and two Houthi boats were destroyed by American forces in the Red Sea. The Houthis unveiled a missile similar to the Iranian government's 'hypersonic missile'. They claimed to have conducted six operations in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.