A cargo ship flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda caught fire after being hit by a missile off the coast of Yemen, the maritime security company Ambrey reported this Saturday.
“The ship was heading southwest along the Gulf of Aden at a speed of 8.2 knots per hour (14.8 km/h) when the bow station was hit by a missile. “A fire started that was neutralized.”Ambrey stated in a statement.
A second missile missed and “small boats in the vicinity opened fire on the ship”causing it to change direction to port.
“There were no injuries,” the security company added.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), run by the British Royal Navy, said in a separate statement that it was informed of an incident southeast of Aden on Saturday night, and that authorities were investigating. “Ships are advised to transit with caution”he pointed.
This incident occurs amid a campaign of drone and missile attacks against ships linked to Israel by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, supported by Iran.
The attacks by rebels, who say they are in support of the Palestinians, have led some shipping companies to detour around southern Africa to avoid the Red Seaa vital route that normally carries around 12% of global trade.
Since January, the United States and the United Kingdom have launched retaliatory strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in response to attacks on shipping. These maneuvers have not served to deter the Houthis, who have promised to attack American and British ships, as well as all ships heading to Israeli ports.
On the other hand, the UN reported on Friday that 11 of its workers were detained by Yemen’s Houthi rebels and reported that he is investigating his circumstances and using all avenues to achieve his “safe and unconditional release.”
“In recent days, I can confirm that de facto Houthi authorities They detained 11 United Nations employees working in Yemen,” said the spokesman for the General Secretariat, Stéphane Dujarric, in a press conference.
The workers, of Yemeni origin, are nine men and two women who worked in different agencies and organizations of the United Nations, and who were detained in the cities of Sanaa, Al Hodeida, Hajjah and Sadah.
(With information from AFP and EFE)
