Vessels in the Red Sea have been sharing nationality and crew details in desperate attempts to avoid Houthi attacks.
Commercial ships sailing through the Red Sea have been broadcasting messages about their nationality and in some cases, even the religion of their crew on public tracking systems in an effort to avoid being targeted by Yemen’s Houthis, following deadly attacks the past week where two bulk carriers were attacked by the rebel group and consequently sank.
According to Reuters, in recent days, more ships passing through the southern Red Sea and the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait have begun adding messages to their Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracking profiles.
These messages, visible when clicking on a vessel, include notes such as “All Crew Muslim,” “All-Chinese crew and management,” and statements indicating that armed guards are onboard. Some messages also explicitly state that the ship has no ties to Israel.
Furthermore, Reuters reports that maritime security experts say these messages reflect growing desperation among crews and shipowners trying to avoid Houthi attacks, which may involve armed commandos or drone strikes.
However, they also caution that such tactics are unlikely to be effective. One expert noted that Houthi intelligence gathering is “much deeper and more proactive.”
Experts also warned that even if shipping companies increase due diligence to ensure no connections to Israel, the risk of attack in the Red Sea remains high.
