According to foreign media reports, a Dutch cargo ship issued an alarm after being attacked in the Gulf of Aden, marking the first such attack by the Houthis on a merchant ship in over a year.
The French navy is dispatching a warship to assist. Initial reports indicate no crew injuries, but unverified information suggests there may be two crew members injured.
The vessel involved was identified as the cargo ship M/V Minerva Graci. This Netherlands-flagged ship, with a deadweight tonnage of 12,200 tons, was last tracked near Djibouti on September 26 local time, en route to Mumbai, India.
The ship is 466 feet (142 meters) long and was located approximately 128 nautical miles southeast of Aden when it sent the distress signal.
The cargo ship was attacked while sailing on the international route in the Gulf of Aden at 2:00 PM local time, sustaining a direct hit by at least one missile. Two of the 19 crew members on board were injured.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations office posted on social media that day, stating they had received reports of the cargo ship being attacked and catching fire, and an investigation is underway.
According to the Maritime Information Cooperation & Awareness Centre, the ship appears to have no connection to Israel. Interestingly, this is the second time in a few days that the Houthis seem to have targeted this specific vessel.
Reports on September 23 local time stated that the captain of the cargo ship M/V Minerva Graci heard explosions near the ship while sailing about 120 nautical miles east of Aden.
Recent information indicates that in this attack, multiple projectiles may have been fired at the M/V Minerva Graci, as another splash point was observed nearby. The EU naval force ASPIDES confirmed that the ship is currently on fire and adrift, but no protective measures were taken prior to these events.
As of now, the Houthis have not responded to the attack incident.
The last recorded attack on a merchant ship in the region occurred in August 2024.
It is noteworthy that recent Houthi attacks on ships have decreased. Previous attacks primarily targeted objectives within the Red Sea. Most recently reported missile and drone attacks have targeted vessels affiliated with Israeli interests.
Following the outbreak of a new round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have used drones and missiles to attack targets in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, demanding that Israel cease military operations in the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
Compiled by Shipping Online.
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