Indian survivor of Houthi strike on Red Sea ship repatriated from Saudi Arabia

Jeddah: The Indian Consulate in Jeddah on Tuesday, July 15, facilitated the repatriation of Augustin Dassayan, an Indian national who survived a recent hostile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on a merchant vessel Eternity C in the Red Sea.

Dassayan, serving as a security guard aboard the Liberia-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier, was part of the crew when the ship came under a series of coordinated assaults on Monday, July 7. The vessel, carrying grain from Somalia to Saudi Arabia, was struck by a combination of unmanned sea drones, rocket-propelled grenades, and missiles.

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At the time of the incident, Eternity C had 25 crew members on board—21 Filipinos, one Russian, and three private security guards, including Dassayan. The assault claimed the lives of at least four seafarers: one Russian and two to three Filipinos. Eleven others remain missing or are believed to have been taken by Houthi forces, who later claimed to have “rescued” some of the survivors.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said Dassayan and several other crew members were rescued and brought to Jizan, Saudi Arabia, on Monday, July 14.

“A team from the Indian Consulate in Jeddah met him, ensured his well-being, and facilitated his return to India,” the Embassy said in the post..

It also shared photos of Dassayan at the airport with consular officials. It also expressed gratitude to Saudi authorities for their timely cooperation.

Mr. Augustin Dassayan, an Indian working as security guard aboard the merchant vessel Eternity C which sunk recently in Red Sea in a hostile attack, reached Jizan, Saudi Arabia yesterday along with some other survivors. A team from the Indian Consulate in Jeddah met him, ensured… pic.twitter.com/zHNaYkxSzh

— India in Saudi Arabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) July 15, 2025

The incident marks the second vessel lost in the region within a week, following the sinking of the Magic Seas, another bulk carrier targeted in a separate Houthi attack on Sunday, July 6.

The Eternity C attack is among the most severe maritime incidents in the Red Sea in recent months, amid growing threats to global commercial shipping in the region. The targeted strike highlights escalating regional tensions and has drawn widespread international condemnation.

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