Gunmen on skiffs attack ship in Red Sea off Yemen: monitors

TDT | Dubai

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Gunmen on small boats fired rocket-propelled grenades and small arms at a commercial vessel in the Red Sea off Yemen on Sunday, monitors said, in the latest attack on the vital shipping lane.

The incident occurred 51 nautical miles (94 kilometres) southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeida, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.

“The vessel has been engaged by multiple small vessels who have opened fire with small arms and self-propelled grenades. (The) armed security team have returned fire and situation is ongoing,” said UKMTO, which is run by Britain’s Royal Navy.

UK-based security firm Ambrey reported the merchant vessel was subsequently struck by two unmanned surface vehicles “damaging the vessel’s cargo”, while two other unmanned vessels were repelled.

It added the commerical ship “was still underway”. Hodeida is controlled by Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels and though no one has claimed responsibility for the assault, Ambrey said the vessel matched “the established Huthi target profile”.

Ambrey earlier reported the merchant vessel “was approached and attacked by eight skiffs while transiting northbound in the Red Sea” before being attacked with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.