Since October, there have been over sixty attacks and hijackings of vessels in the Red Sea. Many of these vessels have been merchant cargo ships, crewed by seafarers from around the world who are otherwise unaffiliated with the current conflicts between Israel, Hamas, Iran, Yemen, and the United States, but remain targets and victims of this ongoing war.

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Back in November, the crew of the Galaxy Leader were taken hostage by the Houthis. Four months later, they still remain captive. In early March, the MV Rubymar sank as a result of a Houthi missile strike, leaking fuel and its cargo of fertilizer into the Red Sea. Thankfully the crew was evacuated before the sinking. A few days later, a similar attack struck the True Confidence, killing three crewmembers and seriously injuring others. This event marked the first deaths from the current Red Sea crisis. 

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We hold in our hearts all these seafarers who have lost their lives, suffered injuries, are in captivity, and have experienced trauma as a result of this current crisis. 

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The crews we meet in Seattle are typically on shipping routes through the Pacific, and so they do not necesarily face the direct threats of attacks and piracy in the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden. But they are still concerned for their fellow mariners who are at risk in these regions. We continue to check in on the wellbeing of these crews, provide our support, and pray for peace.