A Cameroon-flagged LPG carrier caught fire in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday following an onboard explosion, leaving two Indian seafarers missing and prompting an international rescue effort.
The 1994-built 35,100 cu m Falcon, operated by India’s Tanker Expert Ship Management, was sailing west about 60 nautical miles south of Ahwar, Yemen, when it reported an explosion and issued a distress call.
The Ukrainian master and 23 Indian crew members abandoned ship and were rescued by a nearby vessel, which was later escorted by the Hellenic Navy frigate HS Spetsai under the EU’s Operation Aspides, to Djibouti, where the crew were handed over to local authorities.
Aspides said two crew members remain unaccounted for, of which one is onboard the LPG carrier. French air assets and Greek naval units have joined the search and rescue operation in the area.
Maritime security firm Ambrey said the Falcon was on a voyage from Sohar, Oman, to Djibouti, and was not believed to be linked to Houthi targeting. The Houthi defence ministry has denied any involvement in the incident, according to Saba news agency. The tanker had been listed in 2022 by United Against Nuclear Iran for alleged sanctions-evading activities.
Satellite imagery and vessel data from suggest the ship was carrying Iranian LPG, likely bound for Yemen, and is part of the so-called Iranian shadow fleet operating without known insurance. The vessel was signalling for Djibouti but may have been ultimately bound for Ras Isa, a Houthi-held port on Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
Initial reports suggested around 15% of the vessel was on fire after the blast. The cause remains unclear, though early assessments point to an onboard accident rather than an attack. The Falcon remains adrift in the Gulf of Aden, and ships transiting the area have been advised to exercise caution. A private salvage company has been appointed to take control of the stricken vessel.
