06 Mar 2024 | 04:33 PM UTC
Gulf of Aden: Barbados-flagged vessel abandoned following missile attack in Gulf of Aden March 6
Crew abandons Barbados-flagged cargo vessel following missile attack in Gulf of Aden March 6; casualties reported.
The crew of Barbados-flagged cargo vessel True Confidence abandoned ship March 6 after the ship was struck by at least one projectile in the Gulf of Aden. The incident occurred about 54 NM (100 km, 62 miles) southwest of Aden, Yemen. Reports indicate that three of the crew are missing, with a further four suffering significant burns. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reports that the vessel is no longer under command (NUC). International warships are responding.
If reports of casualties are confirmed, the incident would mark the first time that crew members have been seriously injured in an attack in the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden since the Al-Houthi rebel campaign of attacking international shipping began in late November. The group has not yet claimed responsibility for the incident. The attack was preceded by an entity claiming to be the Yemeni Navy hailing True Confidence and instructing the vessel to divert its course; this is characteristic of previous Al-Houthi attacks. The incident follows the March 2 sinking of the UK-owned cargo vessel Rubymar, the first vessel to have sunk since attacks began. Rubymar was struck by multiple missiles Feb. 18, with salvage efforts hampered by Al-Houthi threats.
A heightened naval presence is certain in the region as the conflict between Hamas and Israel continues. Further attacks are likely in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and northern Arabian Sea in the coming days and weeks. Maritime disruptions are likely to occur.
Exercise caution and reconfirm routes with maritime authorities if transiting or shipping freight near the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, or northern Arabian Sea. Companies should regularly review their ship security assessment and plan under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS), particularly in piracy-prone areas. Companies are advised to maintain strict anti-piracy watches and report all pirate activity - including both actual and attempted attacks, as well as suspicious sightings - to local naval authorities.
The incidents in the Red Sea coincide with increased tensions in the region connected to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Iranian-backed groups throughout the region have pledged solidarity with Palestinians and carried out attacks against Israeli or US-linked targets since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in southern Israel and the subsequent Israeli response.
Yemen's Iran-backed Al-Houthi rebels have stated that they regard Israeli shipping as a legitimate target and that they would continue attacks until Israel's operations in Gaza come to an end. The Al-Houthis possess an extensive arsenal of anti-shipping weaponry, including naval mines, waterborne improvised explosive devices (WBIED), drones, and anti-ship cruise missiles. The group has previously attempted to seize vessels in the vicinity of Al-Hudaydah and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and reports of suspicious approaches involving skiffs are relatively commonplace. US, Saudi, and Emirati naval vessels, as well as a number of civilian ships, have also been targeted during the nearly decade-long Yemeni Civil War. The Al-Houthis also possess ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and weaponized drones, some of which have the range to strike targets in Israel, and the group has claimed a number of attempted strikes on Israeli territory since Oct. 7.
Iran has struck Israel-linked shipping in the Arabian Sea multiple times in recent years. Typically, incidents involve the use of weaponized drones at long distances from shore and occur during periods of heightened tensions between the two countries, such as after alleged Israeli attacks on Iranian interests in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, or at sea.
