A crew member from the Dutch cargo ship MV Minervagracht has died as a result of the injuries he sustained from a Houthi attack in the Gulf of Aden on September 29, the shipping company Spliethoff confirms.
The majority of the 19-person crew is now safely home, while one crew member is still receiving treatment in Djibouti and is expected to be able to return home later this week.
The ship, sailing under the Dutch flag, was hit about 128 nautical miles southeast of Aden and subsequently caught fire, creating a danger to navigation in the area. It was the second time in a week that the Minervagracht was subjected to an attack, writes gCaptain.
According to the security firm EOS Risk Group, the incident is the third successful Houthi attack in 2025 and the first in the Gulf of Aden since July 2024.
The EU-led Operation ASPIDES, which participated in the rescue operation, emphasizes that the attacks pose a serious threat to both the safety of sailors and freedom of navigation in the region.
With this death, at least 14 sailors have now been killed as a result of Houthi attacks on merchant ships since 2023. In response, the Netherlands has urged the EU to classify the Houthis as a terrorist organization.
-emte
