Rescue operation off Yemen underway for abandoned cargo vessel's crew

A rescue operation is under way for the crew of a Panama-flagged cargo vessel that was abandoned off the Yemeni port of Hodeidah in the Red Sea, three maritime security sources said on Thursday.

The cause of the incident remained unclear and the number of crew on board was not known.

The crew were forced to abandon the vessel, one of the sources told Reuters, adding that the ship experienced engine problems. Another source said an internal explosion occurred.

Iran-aligned Houthi forces have launched attacks on international shipping near Yemen since November 2023, however it was not clear if the latest shipping incident was linked to Houthi activity.

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul and Yannis Souliotis; Writing by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Saad Sayeed)