Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The EU Naval Mission (Aspides) announced the rescue of 24 crew members from the liquefied gas tanker MV Falcon after a massive fire broke out on board following an explosion on Saturday off the coast of Yemen.
In a statement, the mission said the explosion forced the crew to abandon the Cameroon-flagged vessel. The cause of the incident remains unclear, though initial indications suggest it may have resulted from an accidental malfunction. The fire destroyed about 15% of the tanker’s structure.
Due to the ship’s full load of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), Aspides warned other vessels to avoid the area, stating that “the flames are rapidly spreading and pose a threat to navigation in the region.”
The statement added that rescue operations are still ongoing. Two nearby commercial ships managed to retrieve 24 of the tanker’s 26 crew members, while two remain missing.
The survivors were transferred to Djibouti aboard the MV Vida, escorted by a Greek frigate.
Meanwhile, the British maritime security company Ambrey reported that the tanker had departed from Sohar Port in Oman en route to Djibouti, and that the explosion occurred about 113 nautical miles southeast of the port of Aden.
The company confirmed that there were no signs of an external attack and noted that the vessel was not among those previously targeted by the Houthis.
Conversely, the Houthi-run Saba news agency quoted a group official as saying the “incident had nothing to do” with them.
Since 2023, the Houthis have continued carrying out attacks on ships in the Red Sea, claiming they are acting in support of Palestinians in Gaza — actions that have repeatedly disrupted maritime trade through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
