Maritime sources said that gunmen in a speedboat opened fire on a tanker in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen and targeted it with missiles, in the latest incident threatening the shipping lane after the Yemeni Houthi militia warned ships against traveling to Israel.
The British maritime security company Ambrey and other sources said that the speedboat also approached a second ship that was sailing in the same area, but it was not attacked.
In a separate incident, a US defense official in Washington said that the US Navy destroyer Mason shot down a Houthi drone coming from Yemen on Wednesday and was heading towards the destroyer while it was investigating reports of an attack on a commercial ship.
The official said that the Houthis attacked the merchant ship Ardmore Encounter with boats and then fired two missiles that did not hit the ship. The ship did not report any damage or injuries and continued on its way.
Ardmore Shipping Company, which owns and operates the tanker Ardmore Encounter, confirmed that the ship was attacked while passing through the Red Sea.
The company said in a statement, “No one boarded the ship and all crew members are fine. The ship is still fully operational without loss of any cargo or damage on board, and it is considered out of immediate danger,” adding that the ship “received military assistance during the attack.”
Jacob Larsen, head of the safety and security department at Bimco Shipping Organization, told Reuters, “The Houthis continue attacks on international maritime transport, particularly targeting ships that, in their opinion, are linked to Israeli interests or citizens. The security repercussions on international shipping remain important and very worrying… Fortunately, no one was killed.” “No sailor yet.”
Israel said the international community must protect global shipping routes.
Embry said a chemical tanker flying the Marshall Islands flag reported an “exchange of fire” with a speedboat 55 nautical miles off Hodeidah, adding that the boat approached the tanker and began firing and that the tanker was targeted by three missiles.
“The armed security team on board the ship brandished weapons, and as they did so, the occupants of the speedboat opened fire at a distance of 300 to 400 metres,” Ambre said.
She added, “The armed security team repelled the attack by returning fire. The speedboat also exchanged fire and withdrew.”
A security source, who requested to remain anonymous, said that two missiles were fired, one of which was shot down by an anti-missile battery, and the second fell into the sea.
Ambrey stated that the tanker was contacted by a party claiming to be the Yemeni Navy and asked the ship to change its course, but a warship belonging to the “Coalition” advised the ship to continue on its current course.
The International Coalition Forces for the Security and Protection of Freedom of Maritime Navigation are working in the region to ensure the safety of commercial shipping ships. The division includes naval forces from the United States, Britain and other countries.
Ambrey also said that the speedboat approached a cargo tanker carrying a Maltese flag.
A senior Houthi official on Tuesday warned cargo ships in the Red Sea to avoid heading towards Israel after he said it had hit a Norwegian tanker with a missile earlier in the day.
Separately, the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations Organization reported that five or six small boats, equipped with machine guns in their bows, followed a ship in the Arabian Sea for 90 minutes about 90 nautical miles off the Omani port city of Duqm, adding that they later left.
The organization advised ships to cross with caution and to report any suspicious activity.
#Sources #tanker #targeted #Red #Sea #speedboats #missiles
2023-12-14 01:35:33
