Maritime Authority: Ship and crew survive two explosions southwest of Hodeidah

The UK Maritime Trade Operations ( UKMTO ) announced today, Tuesday, that a commercial ship and its crew survived two explosions in the Red Sea, southwest of Hodeidah (western Yemen).

The authority said in a note on the X platform that it received a report from the captain of a commercial ship stating that an explosion occurred near the ship, 63 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah, off the coast of Yemen.

She added in a new update that the captain returned and informed her about seeing a small vehicle approaching his ship suspiciously, before a second explosion occurred near the ship.

The authority noted that the ship and its crew are fine and are heading to the next port of call.

UKMTO WARNING INCIDENT 107 ATTACK - UPDATE 002 https://t.co/6mNrG6W5iO #MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/WmM1PS3jnq

— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) August 13, 2024

Since last November, the Iran-backed Houthi militia has been launching drone and missile attacks on cargo ships sailing in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab and the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen, claiming that this is in support of Gaza, which has been subjected to a devastating Israeli war since October 7. These attacks have negatively affected shipping, trade and global supply chains.

As a result, the United States formed a military coalition led by it, and since the beginning of this year, it has been carrying out strikes alongside Britain that it says target the Houthis’ military capabilities, in response to their attacks on cargo ships. The Houthis responded by attacking American and British naval vessels, considering them “military targets.”