Drone Boat Hits Merchant Ship in Red Sea, Puncturing Ballast Tank

File image: A remote-controlled bomb boat recovered from Houthi forces during the Yemeni Civil War (Arab Coalition)

Published Oct 1, 2024 1:47 AM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

Yemen's Houthi rebels appear to have hit another merchant vessel in a multi-domain, multiple-attempt attack, according to the Royal Navy's UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). 

At about 0140 hours GMT, UKMTO received a security report from an unnamed vessel about 60 nautical miles off the coast of Hodeidah. The captain reported that there were four splashes observed in the water near the ship, but the vessel was undamaged and the crew were safe. The ship continued onwards toward its next port of call. 

At 0500 GMT, the master reached out to UKMTO again to report that the vessel had been hit by a suicide drone boat. The No. 6 ballast tank was punctured on the port side, but no crewmembers were injured, and the vessel remained fully operational. It is currently under way to its next port of call. 

With support from Iran, the Houthi movement has targeted international shipping in the Red Sea since last October. Despite a U.S.-led campaign to defend marine traffic in the Red Sea, the Houthis have damaged dozens of ships and sunk two, killing four foreign seafarers. The group claims that it is targeting vessels with an Israeli connection - whether by ownership or by trading patterns - in order to protest the ongoing operation in Gaza.

Separately, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed that the militia had shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, adding to a long list of claimed interceptions over Yemen. The MQ-9 is a mainstay for counterterrorism operations in the Mideast, and Saree asserted that the group has now taken down 11 of the unmanned aircraft. 

Houthi leaders had a setback over the weekend when an Israeli airstrike destroyed the fuel tank farms at Ras Isa and Hodeidah, along with a power station located near the waterfront. The toll has risen to five people dead and 57 wounded, said Saree

Houthis Damage Vessels in New Wave of Attacks

UKMTO reports two ships damaged in the same region of the Red Sea (UKMTO)

Published Oct 1, 2024 12:55 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

The Houthis are taking credit for attacks on several merchant ships with reports saying that at least two vessels have suffered damage in the new barrage. These are the first attacks in nearly a month on merchant ships and come as the Houthis threatened escalations after Israel attacked Yemen’s seaport over the weekend and launched its attacks on Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

UK Maritime Trade Operations is confirming attacks on two vessels, a tanker and a bulker, in the same general area of the Red Sea and both damaged but with no reported crew injuries. The vessels are both reported proceeding according to UKMTO. The Houthis also claimed a third unconfirmed attack on a Maersk-chartered containership in the Arabian Sea as it was approaching Oman.

An Indian-managed tanker that is part of the shadow fleet transporting Russian oil to India is confirmed to have suffered damage with UKMTO saying the captain reported a port ballast tank has been punctured. The vessel, the Cordelia Moon, reported a first wave of the attack with four “splashes slighted” near the ship while the Houthis claimed a launch of eight missiles and one drone. The crude oil tanker (163,288 dwt) is returned empty bound for the Suez and orders after delivering a cargo to India.

The vessel was damaged during a second attack which involved an uncrewed surface vessel. The Houthis are calling the damage “severe” but the UKMTO says the vessel is proceeding. The tanker was 64 nautical miles northwest of Hudaydah, Yemen when the attack occurred.

The Houthis are referencing the Cordelia Moon as a “British oil tanker.” They appear to be using outdated information as the vessel was acquired in November 2023. 

The second attack, which the Houthi have not acknowledged, came on the Minoan Courage (76,800 dwt), a Greek-managed bulker. The vessel which is registered in Liberia was approximately 97 miles northwest of Hudayah. UKMTO reports it was struck by a missile and sustained unspecified damage.

In an unconfirmed statement, the Houthis are also claiming to have attached the containership Marathopolis (70,461 dwt) for the second time in recent months. The ship registered in Malta came under attack in July and they are saying today they launched two more attacks on the same ship in the Arabian Sea. In the first wave, the Houthis claimed they used missiles and then followed with a drone which they claimed hit the vessel. UKMTO has not reported this attack.

Marathopolis is owned by Costamare Shipping of Greece and has a capacity of 4,957 TEU. Maersk shows the vessel on its tracker as due in Salalah, Oman today, October 1. She is operating on a route connecting with India.

These latest strikes came as EU NAVFOR Aspides highlighted the arrival of the Greek warship Spetsai (frigate commissioned in 1996) to its force. The vessel transited the Suez Canal to join the protection operation in the Red Sea. US Central Command had also reported a lull in activity with only limited inceptions of Houthi launches during September.