According to reports from various news outlets, a cargo ship flying the Dutch flag was abandoned after it caught fire due to a missile strike off the coast of Yemen on September 29. This incident has left two crew members injured and is being regarded as one of the most significant maritime events in the Gulf of Aden in over a year.
The vessel, known as Minervagracht and owned by Spliethoff, was approximately 128 nautical miles southeast of Aden when it came under attack. The European naval mission Operation Aspides confirmed that the ship was ablaze and adrift following the missile impact. One crew member suffered serious injuries and required urgent airlift to Djibouti for medical attention, while another sustained less severe wounds.
Spliethoff reported that all 19 crew members aboard—originating from countries including the Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Ukraine—were successfully evacuated via helicopter to nearby ships. The company noted that substantial damage had been inflicted upon Minervagracht due to the missile strike.
The French Navy’s Maritime Information Cooperation and Awareness Center attributed responsibility for this attack to Yemen’s Houthi rebels; however, an official claim from them has yet to surface. Analysts suggest that such claims are often delayed by hours or even days following an incident.
This marks the second assault on Minervagracht within just two weeks; previously on September 23, while navigating eastward near Aden, its captain reported narrowly escaping another potential strike when he observed a splash followed by a loud noise about 1.5 nautical miles away.
Maritime security firms like Ambrey and UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) indicated that at the time of Monday’s attack, Minervagracht was not broadcasting its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal. Reports also mentioned sightings of smoke in proximity to where multiple splashes were observed at sea—suggesting several missiles may have been launched during this latest assault.
Both U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center and other maritime authorities confirmed there are no known ties between Minervagracht and Israel; nonetheless, Houthi forces have targeted vessels with minimal or no connections to Israel as part of their broader campaign purportedly supporting Palestinians in Gaza.
This incident represents a worrying escalation—the first recorded Houthi attack against commercial shipping in this region since August 2024—extending threats beyond just Red Sea waters. Earlier this year alone saw two bulk carriers sunk by Houthis in those waters resulting in fatalities among sailors along with others taken captive.
The past couple years have seen increased disruptions caused by Houthi drone strikes affecting global trade routes critical for transporting nearly $1 trillion worth of goods annually through these waters before tensions escalated further.
While there had been temporary pauses during ceasefire negotiations earlier this year—their attacks resumed with deadly outcomes starting July—and observers note heightened risks now face crews leading many vessels towards longer detours around Africa which come at greater costs.
As it stands now though—the situation remains precarious—with Minervagracht still adrift amidst flames posing additional hazards within busy shipping lanes across these vital corridors.
