Dutch-flagged cargo ship struck off Yemen in latest attack
If claimed by the Houthis, the strike on the Minervagracht would mark their most successful attack on a civilian cargo vessel since July.
WASHINGTON — A Netherlands-flagged cargo vessel was hit by at least one projectile in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, a UK-based maritime safety monitoring agency reported.
The ship, Minervagracht, was hit while sailing 128 nautical miles southeast of Aden, UK Maritime Trade Operations reported, citing both military sources and the ship’s crew.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have not publicly claimed credit for the attack but have reportedly threatened the vessel in recent days.
The ship’s crew reported initially a splash and smoke emanating in the distance from the ship’s stern at 12:51 UTC/GMT, UKMTO reported.
Two crew members were wounded in Monday’s attack. They, along with the rest of the crew, were evacuated by helicopter, The Associated Press reported.
A spokesperson for US Central Command (CENTCOM) did not confirm US involvement in the ship’s evacuation.
The Gulf of Aden is patrolled by the US Navy and naval forces of several of Washington’s allies.
If confirmed to have been carried out by the Houthis, the strike would mark the most significant escalation by the Iran-armed rebels since they sunk two civilian cargo ships in less than a week in July.
On Sept. 23, the Houthis reportedly fired projectiles at the Minervagracht but did not hit the ship.
