Fire ignites on ship following missile attack in Gulf of Aden off Yemen

UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reports that an unidentified vessel suffered an onboard fire after being hit by two missiles of unknown origin south-east of Yemen on Thursday, February 22.

The vessel was in the Gulf of Aden some 70 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen when the attack occurred.

UKMTO said coalition forces have been deployed in response to the incident while authorities have begun an investigation.

The vessel sustained minor damage though it has been reported that the vessel and the crew are safe and proceeding to the next port of call.

Other vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.

The incident is the second reported attack targeting shipping in the waters south of Yemen in less than a week.

On Sunday, February 18, an unnamed vessel suffered damage following a nearby explosion, forcing its crew to abandon ship. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia has claimed responsibility for this earlier attack.