Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
Maritime sources reported that a cargo ship sailing under the Dutch flag was targeted by a missile attack in the Gulf of Aden today, Monday, resulting in a fire breaking out onboard. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The Associated Press reported that the attack, which is believed to be perpetrated by the Houthis, targeted the cargo ship “Minervagracht,” owned by the Dutch company Spliethoff. The ship had been subjected to a similar attack last week while sailing in the same area.
For their part, the British maritime security firm AMBREY and the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated that the vessel was hit approximately 120 nautical miles southeast of the port of Aden, noting reports of smoke rising and fire on the ship. AMBREY clarified that the vessel was not operating its Automatic Identification System (AIS) at the time of the attack.
The UK authority mentioned that an unknown projectile was fired at the ship while it was 128 nautical miles off Aden, and reports indicated that a warship was en route to the scene to provide assistance.
No party has yet officially claimed responsibility for the attack, and the ship’s owner in Amsterdam has not commented on inquiries regarding the incident.
The attack is a repeat of a scene from September 23, when a ship in the same area reported the sounds of an explosion and water spray in its vicinity, 120 nautical miles east of Aden, though the executing party was not identified.
