The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported an attack on a vessel located 110NM Southeast of Aden, Yemen.
The Captain of the Marshall Island-flagged, US-owned, Greek-operated Chemical Tanker, CHEM RANGER (IMO: 9490296), reported an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying close to the vessel, followed by an explosion in the water approximately 30 meters from the vessel's Port side.
A statement from the US Central Command (CENTCOM)
announced that Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists had launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at the CHEM RANGER. The statement also said the crew saw the missiles land in the water near the ship.
Coalition forces responded to the incident, and the vessel and crew have been reported safe. The vessel is continuing her journey to the next port.
This incident is the third Houthi attack on commercial shipping in three days, including the attack on the previous day, where a one-way attack drone launched from a Houthi-controlled part of Yemen struck the Marshall Islands-flagged, US-owned and -operated Bulk Carrier GENCO PICARDY 60NM Southeast of Aden.
The CHEM RANGER is the third US-owned vessel to be hit by the Houthis since the January 15 strike on Eagle Bulk’s GIBRALTAR EAGLE, which was followed the next day by a strike on the Maltese-flagged, and Greek-owned, bulker ZOGRAFIA, operated by Vulcanus Technical Maritime Enterprise.
All vessels in these previous attacks are in categories being targeted by the Houthis: GIBRALTAR EAGLE and GENCO PICARDY are US-owned, while the ZOGRAFIA was headed for Israel.
The incident is currently under investigation by the authorities, and the Castor Vali team will continue to provide updates and analysis upon receipt of confirmed information to support informed decision-making.
All vessels in the area are advised to proceed with caution and report any suspicious activities to the UKMTO.
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