At least three crew members have been confirmed dead and six rescued after a cargo ship was attacked by Yemen's Houthi forces and later sank in the Red Sea, according to the European Union’s naval mission, Operation Aspides.

The incident adds to a growing list of attacks on commercial vessels in the region as the Houthis escalate their campaign.

The Liberian-flagged and Greek-operated vessel, Eternity C, was targeted on Monday by rocket-propelled grenades fired from small boats.

The ship, which had 25 crew on board, was left severely damaged and immobilised after losing propulsion. The assault extended into Tuesday as search and rescue efforts began overnight.

“We will continue to search for the remaining crew until the last light,” maritime security firm Diaplous said in a statement, after sharing video footage showing at least five seafarers being pulled from the sea more than 24 hours after the attack.

According to the EU mission, the rescued crew included five Filipinos and one Indian, while 19 others remained unaccounted for by Wednesday.

The Philippines confirmed that 21 of the crew were Filipino nationals. One Russian crew member was severely injured and lost a leg during the attack.

The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying the ship was en route to Israel and that they had taken an unspecified number of crew to what they called a “safe location.” The US embassy in Yemen condemned the incident, stating that the Houthis had “kidnapped many surviving crew members” and demanded their immediate release.

This marks the second time in a week the Houthis have sunk a cargo vessel.

On Sunday, the group launched missiles and drones at another Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated ship, Magic Seas, which they accused of violating an entry ban to Israeli ports. Unlike Eternity C, all 22 crew on board Magic Seas were rescued safely by a passing merchant ship.

Footage released by the Houthis on Tuesday showed armed men boarding Magic Seas and setting off explosions that led to the vessel’s sinking.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have attacked nearly 70 commercial ships using drones, missiles and small boats. Four vessels have been sunk, one seized, and at least seven crew members killed. The group insists its operations are in support of Palestinians in the Israel-Gaza war, and it claims to be targeting ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK. Many of these claims, however, have been proven false.

In response to the latest attack, the US state department said the incidents involving Magic Seas and Eternity C "demonstrate the ongoing threat that Iran-backed Houthi rebels pose to freedom of navigation and to regional economic and maritime security."

"The United States has been clear: we will continue to take necessary action to protect freedom of navigation and commercial shipping from Houthi terrorist attacks, which must be condemned by all members of the international community," the statement read.

Though the Houthis agreed to a ceasefire with the US in May after seven weeks of retaliatory American strikes, they clarified that it did not apply to attacks on Israel. The ceasefire has not deterred the group from launching further assaults.

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez condemned the renewed wave of violence, calling it a clear violation of international law.

"After several months of calm, the resumption of deplorable attacks in the Red Sea constitutes a renewed violation of international law and freedom of navigation,” he said. “Innocent seafarers and local populations are the main victims of these attacks and the pollution they cause.”