Three sailors have died and others have been injured after a Houthi missile attack on a ship in the Gulf of Aden, US officials have said – the first fatalities of crew of commercial shipping since the Houthis began launching strikes at ships in waters off Yemen last year.

The officials told US news agencies that the crew of the MV True Confidence had abandoned ship after the attack, which was claimed by the Houthis.

The British embassy in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, posted on X: “At least two innocent sailors have died. This was the sad but inevitable consequence of the Houthis recklessly firing missiles at international shipping. They must stop.”


Later US Central Command increased the toll to three.

The bulk carrier was drifting with a fire on board after being hit at about 9.30am GMT on Wednesday 50 nautical miles south-west of Aden, the vessel’s owner and operator said.

“The vessel is drifting,” the Liberia-registered owner True Confidence Shipping and Greece-based operator Third January Maritime Ltd said in a joint statement, adding that there was no current connection with any US entity.

The marine security firm Ambrey said the ship had been struck and had sustained damage, adding that a rescue operation was “under way with parts of the crew already in lifeboats”.

Houthi militants in Yemen have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping since mid-November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians to oppose Israel’s military actions in Gaza.


A number of ships have been damaged in such strikes, but Wednesday’s deaths are the first among merchant sailors. Two US Navy Seals drowned in January in waters off Somalia as they tried to board an unflagged vessel carrying Iranian weapons bound for the Houthis.

The Yemen Data project estimates there have been 11 civilian casualties recorded in three separate US-led strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in February.

The US and the UK launched Operation Poseidon Archer on 12 January. The project estimates that the number of Houthi attacks on shipping doubled in February compared with the previous month – at least 79 strikes from a minimum of 33 in January.

Wednesday’s incident came as the British embassy in Yemen warned of dire environmental consequences from the Houthi sinking of a Belize-flagged and Lebanon-owned carrier, Rubymar. The ship sank at the weekend after drifting for nearly a fortnight. Lloyd’s List said out-of-date records may have led the Houthis and the British government to view the ship as British-owned.

The intensifying disruption has led several shipping firms and oil companies to suspend or redirect voyages from the key Yemen-adjacent route, which accounts for about 12% of global seaborne transit.


Earlier this week, four out of 15 critical submarine cables in the Red Sea were cut, with HGC Communications assessing that this affected 25% of traffic.

London and Washington acknowledge they need better intelligence about the Houthis’ military assets, and are drawing up plans to help train local naval forces to assist in controlling Yemen’s territorial waters.

The Aden government is convinced that the Houthis will not end the attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait even if the Israeli war on Gaza ceases.

While the militia has said it would attack vessels with links to the UK, the US and Israel, shipping industry sources say all ships could be at risk.

Botragelad:


Source:
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/06/houthis-strike-ship-in-gulf-of-aden-yemen

Botragelad:
I can't fathom what the Houthi terrorists hope to achieve by targeting innocent vessels that has nothing to do with the US or Israel.

This is nothing but a bloody terror attack and when the US gives them a blowback you get their supporters on here slagging off the US. Mind you, this won't stop ISRAEL from wiping out Hamas.

FreeStuffsNG:

BBC reported that the crew were warned first and advised to turn back by the Yemen naval forces as the Yemen Navy informed them that they will not allow them to proceed since they were headed to Israel, the Captain of the ship did not heed the warning and decided to put the lives of his crew in danger.

Turning back would have saved the lives of the crew, the ship and goods onboard. You're a civilian merchant ship so the lives of your crew , the ship and the goods on board are your priorities, it's not your job to dare an armed Navy! The Captain of that ship was just reckless and irresponsible.
If US and UK want to fight Yemen, it's not your own business and he should have turned back after he was hailed to stop and turn back.

Botragelad:

FreeStuffsNG:
It's an absolute waste of time engaging you this uncouth fanatic Isreal sympathiser. No vex abeg

Botragelad:

Are you having a laugh? This clown is calling a bunch of religious fanatics a naval force or what. Who the hell is Houthi to tell people not to use the gulf of aden or are you too ignorant to get how that works. They are TERRORISTS,a terrorist group. Just like Boko Haram attacking people for plying a particular route. Again, not Yemen, but Houthis, get that into your head. HOUTHI IS A TERRORIST GROUP AND THEY DESERVE NOTHING FROM ANYONE!

And where did you pull the whole rubbish you wrote up there from. This is not a propaganda page where you spout all kind of bollocks and expect every sensible person to swallow it.

You reckon it's right to strike a commercial ship that has nothing to do with Israel. Your attempt to defend the action shows what sort of person you are. What are you doing on my thread anyway?

FreeStuffsNG:
It's easier said than done. It's easy to stay with popcorn in your hand and hail Isreal to go wipe out Hamas. It's over 5 months of serious war with Hamas, the Israeli military has all the military edge and advantage yet it's unable to end the war as Hamas is still firing rockets into Israel.

The Yemeni have stated their demands and it's now the same thing even the US is now telling Israel to do; CEASEFIRE!
No ceasefire then the UK and US better stop giving false hopes to these merchant ships so we can save more lives until Isreal eventually observe the ceasefire. Both sides can't eat their cake and have it so they should please stop the war.

FreeStuffsNG:
It's easier said than done. It's easy to stay with popcorn in your hand and hail Isreal to go wipe out Hamas. It's over 5 months of serious war with Hamas, the Israeli military has all the military edge and advantage yet it's unable to end the war as Hamas is still firing rockets into Israel.

The Yemeni have stated their demands and it's now the same thing even the US is now telling Israel to do; CEASEFIRE!
No ceasefire then the UK and US better stop giving false hopes to these merchant ships so we can save more lives until Isreal eventually observe the ceasefire. Both sides can't eat their cake and have it so they should please stop the war.

Mynd44:

Question 1: is the Gulf of Aden International waters?
Question 2: are FIFA and IAAF wrong or right to have banned Russia for invading Ukraine?

Botragelad:

Sorry, but what does that have to do with HOUTHI being a terrorist group?

Botragelad:

Sorry, but what does that have to do with HOUTHI being a terrorist group?

Botragelad:

Sorry, but what does that have to do with HOUTHI being a terrorist group?

Mynd44:

Is FIFA a terrorist group?