DUBAI: Yemen’s Houthis on Wednesday released mariners held since a July attack on the ship Eternity C in the Red Sea, an assault that killed at least four on board and sank the vessel.
The Houthis, who have been targeting ships during the Israel-Hamas war, said via their Al-Masirah satellite news channel that Oman had taken custody of the mariners, who were flying to the sultanate.
Oman did not immediately acknowledge the release.
The Philippines on Tuesday said it expected nine Filipino mariners held by the Houthis since the attack to be released. The Foreign Ministry in Manila described the mariners as being “held hostage by the Houthis” since the attack.
The Houthis offered no immediate breakdown on the nationalities of those released.
The attack on the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier also left 11 people missing.
The Houthis have targeted more than 100 ships with missiles and drones in their campaign, sinking four vessels. The attacks have killed at least nine mariners, after a crew member aboard one vessel targeted, the Minervagracht, died of his wounds in October.
The Houthis stopped their attacks during a brief, earlier ceasefire in the war in Gaza. They later became the target of a weeks long campaign of airstrikes ordered by US President Donald Trump before he declared a ceasefire had been reached with the group. The current ceasefire in the war has again seen the Houthis hold their fire.