Yemen Monitor/Aden/Special:
The crew of a container ship fought to extinguish a fire on board after a multiple rocket attack in the Gulf of Aden claimed by the Houthi armed group in Yemen.
The Liberian-flagged “MSC Sky II” ship which was carrying 2169 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) at the time of the attack (built in 1999), was damaged in the attack, but none of the crew are believed to have been injured.
The security firm “Ambari” said the ship was “Israeli-owned.”
The first explosion occurred at a distance of 5.5 nautical miles from the ship , while the second explosion caused damage to the ship’s hull, according to security firm Ambari.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a vessel reported an incident on Monday southeast of the Yemeni coastal city of Aden and has issued a warning to mariners about the incident.
The Houthis have claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement announced by the armed group’s spokesman.
The cargo ship Rubymar sank on Friday, becoming the first ship to sink since the Houthis began their attacks in November in what they said was solidarity with Palestinians who have been subjected to a brutal Israeli war for months in crimes described as genocide. The internationally recognized government and analysts say the Houthi attacks are linked to evading their local commitments and improving their regional reputation.
