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image source, frank findler
Tanker “Marlin Luanda” collides off the coast of Yemen
A British-linked tanker in the Gulf of Aden caught fire after being hit by a missile fired by the Houthis.
The Yemeni movement announced on Friday that it had targeted Marlin Luanda in response to “American and British aggression.”
The US and UK launched airstrikes on Houthi targets in response to attacks on shipping in the Red Sea region.
The U.S. military said an Iranian-backed group attacked the tanker with an anti-ship ballistic missile and that a naval vessel responded to a distress call.
The operator of the vessel is registered as Oceonix Services Ltd, a UK registered company.
The tanker flies under the flag of the Marshall Islands and is operated on behalf of Trafigura, a multinational trading company based in Singapore.
Trafigura news agency said the attack caused a fire in one of the ship’s cargo tanks, which was extinguished using fire extinguishing equipment. No injuries were reported.
This is the latest attack by the Houthis on commercial shipping in and around the Red Sea. The organization said Israel was targeting ships in the area to support Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fighting Hamas.
A Houthi spokesman said in a statement that the Merlin Luanda was a British ship and was targeted in response to “American and British aggression against our country.”
The British government said the attacks on commercial ships were “completely unacceptable” and that the UK and its allies “reserve the right to respond as appropriate.”
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the incident occurred 60 nautical miles south-east of Aden.
It warned other vessels to navigate with caution and to report any suspicious activity.
Later, the U.S. Central Command announced that at 3:45 a.m. local time on Saturday (12:45 a.m. Japan time), the military responded to a “Houthi anti-ship missile that was ready to launch into the Red Sea.” announced that they had attacked. Centcom said they “destroyed the missile in self-defense.”
Since November, the Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on commercial ships navigating the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
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