The attack on the Eternity C, which killed at least three of the crew, represents the most serious assault carried out by the Houthis in the crucial maritime trade route.

The attack on the Greek-owned bulk carrier Eternity C in the crucial maritime route came after the Houthis attacked a similar ship called Magic Seas.

Six crew members have been found in the Red Sea after the Iran-backed Houthis attacked a Liberian-flagged cargo ship, killing at least three of them and wounding several others. A European naval force said on Wednesday that 19 people who had been travelling on the Eternity C vessel were still missing.