Houthi rebels from Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement have kidnapped the crew members of Eternity C, a Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier which sank in the Red Sea following an attack by the Yemeni rebels, the US Embassy in Yemen said in a statement, EDnews reports, citing TASS.

"After killing their shipmates, sinking their ship and hampering rescue efforts, the Houthi terrorists have kidnapped many surviving crew members of the Eternity C. We call for their immediate and unconditional safe release," the embassy said in a statement on the X social network.

The statement added, "The Houthis continue to show the world why the United States was right to label them a terrorist organization."

The bulk carrier’s crew included 21 Filipinos and one Russian national. According to Reuters, four of the 25 people aboard the Eternity C cargo ship were killed before the rest of the crew abandoned the vessel, which sank on Wednesday morning after being attacked on Monday and Tuesday. The EU's naval mission in the Red Sea, Operation Aspides, has rescued six crew members. The rest are listed as missing.

The vessel was attacked on July 7. According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency, it sustained significant damage and lost all propulsion after being hit by rocket-propelled grenades fired from small boats on Monday. The incident occurred west of Yemen’s Hodeidah seaport.