On the morning of October 18, the Cameroonian-flagged LPG tanker “Falcon” sent a distress signal while sailing in waters near Yemen, reporting an explosion and subsequent fire onboard. The specific cause remains unclear.
According to the notification, the incident occurred approximately 130 nautical miles southeast of the Port of Aden. The European maritime operation EUNAVFOR Aspides stated that about 15% of the vessel was engulfed in fire. The crew has completely abandoned the ship, which is now adrift. Although the agency initially classified the incident as an “accident,” the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), responsible for monitoring the area, revealed that they had received a report from the ship’s company security officer indicating the vessel was suspected to have been hit by an unidentified projectile.
Public information shows the “Falcon” was built in 1994 and is owned by an Indian company. According to United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), the vessel has a prior record of transporting cargo related to Iran. Its AIS signals indicated a route from the Iraqi port of Zubayr to Djibouti, but there is also information suggesting it departed from Oman, raising the possibility of false AIS reporting.
Notably, the vessel’s historical PSC inspection and seaworthiness records are not ideal. In January 2025, the vessel was recorded with 13 deficiencies during an inspection in a Turkish port and was detained due to hull holes and corroded ventilation ducts; several safety and crew welfare-related issues were also listed. Indian authorities also listed 17 deficiencies for the vessel in August 2023, covering aspects such as safety, cargo operations, and corrosion.
Authorities stated that 25 of the 26 crew members have been found, with one person still missing. The vessel currently has no known insurer and is not listed in any international sanctions or blacklist databases. Search and rescue operations are still intensively underway. EUNAVFOR Aspides has issued an alert to vessels transiting the maritime area and continues to monitor the situation.
As the incident area is near Yemen, there is widespread external suspicion that the event may be related to Houthi attacks, but no clear claim of responsibility has been made. The Houthis have issued a statement denying involvement in this explosion. It is worth noting that the group’s last publicly claimed attack on a merchant ship occurred on September 29. The investigation into whether this explosion was indeed an attack or simply an accident is ongoing, and the industry is awaiting the release of more details by officials.
