The death toll from the attack that sank the Liberian-flagged Eternity C ship is the highest from any seaborne assault carried out by the Iranian-backed rebels in the crucial maritime trade route.

A Houthi spokesperson claimed the Yemeni navy had rescued "a number of the ship's crew", given them medical care and taken them "to a safe location".

Eternity C — the Liberian -flagged bulker attacked by Houthi drones and skiffs on July 7 — has sunk, according to multiple reports. As search and rescue operations continue, the fate of the ship's 22 crew and three-person security team remains unclear. Reuters has reported two crew members injured and four killed in the attack and its aftermath.