The Yemeni Armed Forces have released new details regarding the fate of the crew aboard the ETERNITY C, a commercial vessel targeted earlier this month after violating the naval blockade imposed on Israeli occupation ports in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In footage broadcast by Yemen’s military media on Monday evening, the Yemeni Navy was shown conducting a two-day search and rescue mission following the July 9 operation. The mission resulted in the rescue of 11 crew members, including two wounded sailors who received medical treatment. One body was recovered and transported to a hospital morgue.

According to statements from the surviving crew, the vessel was en route to the occupied port of Umm al-Rashrash (Eilat), in direct violation of the naval ban declared by Sanaa. The crew admitted to using Jeddah Port in Saudi Arabia as a decoy stop for resupply, while their actual departure point was Berbera in Somalia.

Crew acknowledges breach, issues warning to maritime industry

In the video, the rescued crew members directly addressed global shipping companies, warning against engaging in commercial activity with the Israeli occupation. They emphasized the importance of keeping ship identification systems active while traversing the Red Sea and urged maritime operators to avoid supporting the occupation in any capacity.

مشاهد للحظة إنقاذ طاقم السفينة "ETERNITY C"، وشهادات أفراد الطاقم تؤكّد أن وجهتها كانت ميناء "أم الرشراش" في فلسطين المحتلة#اليمن pic.twitter.com/NZqRKKxo94

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) July 28, 2025

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Some crew members expressed regret that their ship had been bound for occupation ports, offering apologies to the Palestinian people and reaffirming that they were unaware of the full implications of their voyage at the time.

Attack followed refusal to comply with Yemeni Navy warnings

The Yemeni military confirmed that the ETERNITY C was targeted after its captain failed to heed multiple warnings issued by naval forces. The vessel was struck by a guided missile strike and an unmanned surface vessel after the crew ignored calls to alter course, according to the military’s July 9 announcement.

The attack forms part of Yemen’s ongoing naval operations aimed at enforcing the blockade on Israeli shipping routes in solidarity with Gaza and the Palestinian cause. The ETERNITY C incident highlights the continued risks for international vessels seeking to engage with the Israeli regime’s maritime infrastructure.

Yemeni authorities reiterated their warning to global shipping entities on Monday, stressing that any vessel attempting to dock at ports under Israeli occupation remains a legitimate target.

Yemen sinks ETERNITY C

The Yemeni Armed Forces released video footage confirming the successful targeting and sinking of the ETERNITY C, a commercial vessel headed toward the occupied port of Umm al-Rashrash (Eilat), on July 9, 2025.

The video, shared by the official Yemeni military media outlet, documents multiple communications made by the Yemeni Naval Forces to the ETERNITY C’s crew. Using the ship’s call-sign D5DC2, naval operators attempted to contact the vessel’s captain, informing him that rescue boats were en route and that a third vessel, the BARYON, was also available to provide evacuation assistance. The footage captured only a single response, in which the ship’s captain confirmed the vessel’s identity.

Yemeni officials emphasized that the communication was meant to assure the crew that their lives were not in danger and that they would not be harmed if they cooperated.

The video then shows the launch of multiple naval ballistic missiles from various locations. The footage includes ground-based angles as well as aerial views via drone, capturing the moment of impact as several explosions rocked the vessel. Plumes of smoke and debris engulfed the ship, with follow-up drone footage revealing extensive structural damage.