Magic Seas attacked in Red Sea, crew abandons ship after gunfire and grenades
Event date: 2025-07-06
A Liberia-flagged bulk carrier identified by the packet as Magic Seas was attacked in the Red Sea off the coast of Hodeida, with the crew abandoning ship after the vessel took on water and caught fire, according to the UK's maritime trade operation and the NOS report. The attack was carried out by multiple small boats using grenades, and the ship returned fire, UKMTO said.
The incident marked the first major attack on a ship in the Red Sea in months. The source said the vessel was under way near Hodeida, a port city controlled by the Houthi movement, when the assault began. The report did not say who was responsible, and the attack had not yet been claimed.
The Red Sea has been one of the most sensitive shipping corridors in the world since the Houthi campaign against commercial vessels began after the 7 October 2023 attacks in Israel and the subsequent Gaza war. NOS said the group had carried out more than 100 attacks on ships, causing two sinkings and four deaths over time. The report also noted that shipping in the corridor had been recovering in recent months after a period of relative quiet.
That wider context explains why the Magic Seas incident matters beyond the single vessel. The Red Sea and the Suez route are critical links between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, and attacks there can quickly affect freight, insurance and naval deployments. The packet noted that multiple countries had sent warships to protect merchant vessels and that the United States and the United Kingdom had previously carried out strikes on Houthi military targets.
The immediate facts, though, are simpler: a ship was attacked by armed boats, the crew got off safely enough to leave the vessel, and rescue was awaited. UKMTO said the vessel was taking on water, and the attack sparked a fire on board. The report said no ransom or piracy demand had been reported, which makes the episode different from ordinary hijackings.
Because the attack had not yet been claimed, the article should avoid assigning responsibility. The Houthi movement has often claimed such attacks after a delay, but the packet only says that such claims can take hours or days. For now, the safe report is that an unusually serious attack returned to the Red Sea and forced the crew of Magic Seas to evacuate.
