British ship hit by missile and catches fire
Singapore-based trading firm Trafigura said a missile hit the British-flagged oil tanker Marlin Luanda as it passed through the Red Sea. A Trafigura spokesman said the ship was carrying Russian oil purchased below the price ceiling under G7 sanctions.
Houthi supporters attend a rally to protest against US-led airstrikes on Friday in Sanaa, Yemen. Photo: AP
In an emailed statement, Trafigura said the ship’s firefighting equipment was being deployed to extinguish and control the fire in a cargo tank on the starboard side. “We remain in contact with the vessel and are closely monitoring the situation,” the agency said, adding that military vessels were on their way to assist.
The Houthi rebels’ attacks have mainly targeted container ships traveling through the Red Sea. However, many oil tankers continue to use the route. On Friday, the Free Spirit, a crude oil tanker, also turned around before heading to the Gulf of Aden, shortly after the attack on the Marlin Luanda, according to LSEG data.
Earlier, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and UK maritime security company Ambrey said they had received reports of ships being attacked in the Red Sea near the Gulf of Aden and fires breaking out on board.
“UKMTO has received reports of an incident approximately 60 nautical miles south-east of Aden where a vessel has been hit by a missile and remains on fire. The crew are believed to be safe,” the statement said. “Coalition warships are present and assisting the vessel,” UKMTO added.
A Houthi rebel spokesman also confirmed that their navy carried out an operation targeting the UK-owned oil tanker Marlin Luanda in the Gulf of Aden, causing a fire to break out.
US warships were also targeted.
Yemen's Houthi rebels also fired a missile at a US destroyer USS Carney patrolling the Gulf of Aden on Friday, forcing the ship to shoot it down.
Specifically, the US military said in a statement that it shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile launched from an area controlled by the Houthi rebel group in Yemen and there were no injuries or damage.
The US guided-missile destroyer USS Carney operates in the Red Sea. Photo: US Department of Defense
The attack on the destroyer USS Carney marked a further escalation in the largest naval confrontation the US Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades.
The attack on the Carney was the first time Houthi forces had directly targeted a US warship since the rebels began attacking ships in the Red Sea in October, an unnamed US official said.
The Houthi attacks have disrupted trade in the Red Sea, which carries about 12% of international shipping traffic. Some shipping companies have diverted from the Red Sea, taking the longer and more expensive route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, causing higher freight rates and disrupting global supplies.
Hoang Anh (according to Reuters, AP, AFP)
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