He congratulated Captain Mihai Staicu for his courage but also for the leadership qualities he demonstrated, ultimately saving his crew before the Houthis boarded and finally blew it up, in a scene reminiscent of a Hollywood movie.
As Mr. Bodouroglou said, the ship was attacked, despite the fact that it was not destined for Israel. The Houthis claim they attack ships carrying cargo to or from Israel. Its journey started from China, called at N. Korea, and was destined for Turkey.
The awarding of the captain, by the company he has been steadily working for for a decade, highlighted, among other things, the role sailors play as “key workers” for society and the economy. A role that is often not recognized, with a prime example being the period of the pandemic, when dozens of sailors were unable to return to their country and remained on board the ships even for more than 18 months.
In his statement, Mr. Bodouroglou mentioned that the ship fought for eight hours in order to manage to escape from the Houthis and that the nearest warship was about a day and a half away.
He also noted that despite the fact that communications had been cut off, due to the fire they had taken, the wi-fi with satellite connection gave the crew the opportunity to have continuous contact with land.
Video of the Houthi attack on the bulk carrier Magic Seas. /ldsUnDa0J6
— naftemporiki.gr (@naftemporikigr) October 10, 2025
“It was something that substantially contributed to the crew maintaining its discipline and composure. It was also very important psychological support, because they could communicate with their own people and explain what was happening,” noted Mr. Bodouroglou.
For his part, Captain Mihai Staicu, who has been working for the company for eight years, throughout the event did not stop giving compliments for the help he had from his crew.
“I have been working for this company for almost eight years and I must admit that I always felt like family. Every time I asked for instructions or advice, I received them. They never told me ‘do whatever you want’ or ‘don’t do that’. They always informed me, checked, and answered me. Of course, the final decision is always mine — I have full responsibility for the ship,” he characteristically stated and added:
“But this was the first time in my life that I had to make such a hard decision. It was difficult. I really tried to save the ship. I hoped we would manage to pass the boundary of the danger zone, but, of course, there is no ‘border police’ to tell you that you are safe when you pass a certain point. We were close, but the terrorists have their own ‘logic’. We had no indication, no warning sign. We departed from China in excellent condition. We were sending all reports to all security systems and the competent authorities, we were maintaining continuous communication. We had nothing to hide — we were just doing our duty, to get home safely. My greatest satisfaction is when I see my crew returning home safe and sound. We had no injuries, nor anything worse. I followed the protocols, I followed the instructions, the checklists. They are not random — they were created after real dangers. I know my responsibility. I am grateful.”
The Greek-owned cargo ship MAGIC SEAS was attacked on July 6, 2025, while it was executing a lawful voyage in the Red Sea area. The incident started around 13:30 local time, when the ship transmitted via radio the message “Do not impede – ship engaged in lawful passage”, while small boats (skiffs) approached and opened fire, causing window breakage.
