Missile Attack On Dutch Cargo Ship Off Yemen Leaves 2 Injured, Vessel Abandoned

A Dutch-flagged cargo ship caught fire and was abandoned after being struck by a missile off Yemen’s coast on Monday (September 29), leaving two crew members injured.

The attack, believed to have been carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, is being described as the most serious incident in the Gulf of Aden in more than a year.

The vessel, Minervagracht (12,200 dwt), owned by the Dutch shipping company Spliethoff, was sailing about 128 nautical miles southeast of Aden when it was hit.

European naval mission Operation Aspides confirmed that the ship was burning and adrift after the strike. It reported that one crew member was seriously injured and airlifted to Djibouti for urgent treatment, while another sustained less severe injuries.

Spliethoff said all 19 seafarers on board, hailing from the Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Ukraine, were evacuated by helicopter to nearby vessels. The company confirmed that the missile caused “substantial damage” to the ship.

The French Navy’s Maritime Information, Cooperation and Awareness Center linked the strike to the Houthis, although the group has not officially claimed responsibility. Analysts say that the Houthis often delay their claims by several hours or even days.

This is the second time in less than two weeks that Minervagracht has been targeted. On September 23, the vessel reported narrowly avoiding a strike when its master observed a “splash followed by a loud bang” about 1.5 nautical miles away while sailing east of Aden.

Reports from maritime security firms Ambrey and the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the ship was not transmitting its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal at the time of Monday’s attack. Both agencies received reports of smoke in the area, with the ship’s master once again reporting splashes in the sea, raising the possibility that multiple missiles were fired.

The Maritime Information, Cooperation and Awareness Center and the U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center both confirmed that Minervagracht has no known links to Israel. Despite this, Houthis have repeatedly struck ships with little or no connection to Israel, claiming their campaign is part of their support for Palestinians in Gaza.

The strike marks the first reported Houthi attack on a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Aden since August 2024, expanding the danger zone beyond the Red Sea. In July, the Houthis sank two bulk carriers in the Red Sea, killing at least four sailors and capturing others.

Over the past two years, Houthi missile and drone attacks have disrupted global trade, threatening one of the world’s most important shipping routes. Before the escalation, nearly $1 trillion worth of goods passed through the Red Sea annually.

The Houthis briefly halted their campaign during a ceasefire but resumed in July with deadly consequences. Observers note that their strikes have heightened risks for crews and forced rerouting of vessels through longer, costlier journeys around Africa.

For now, the Minervagracht remains adrift and burning, posing a hazard to other vessels in the busy shipping corridor.

References: Reuters, AP News

Source: Maritime Shipping News