The Dutch-flagged “Minervagracht” has been attacked in the Gulf of Aden. According to reports, a fire broke out aboard the ship.
According to information from the EU naval operation ASPIDES, the attack occurred around 128 nm (approx. 237 km) south-east of the Yemeni port city of Aden. The “Minervagracht” has been drifting in the Red Sea since then, unable to maneuver and posing a danger to shipping in the affected area.
The incident was reported on Monday morning. According to EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, the ship had not previously requested escort. Following the distress call, the emergency services initiated the rescue of the 19 crew members from Russia, Ukraine, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. According to reports, at least two of them were seriously injured.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, Martin Kelly, Head of Consulting at EOS Risk Group, told X that it was the “third successful attack by the Huthi” in 2025. The militia, which is allied with Iran, was already responsible for the sinking of the Magic Seas and the Eternity C. The “Minervagracht” was reportedly hit by at least one missile (Anti Ship Ballistic Missile, ASBM), causing a serious fire to break out on board.
The Dutch shipping company Spliethoff, which operates the “Minervagracht”, confirmed the incident in a statement. A statement has so far referred to an “unidentified explosive device”.
According to sources in the maritime security sector, the 142-metre-long “Minervagracht” (9524 GT) was not transmitting an AIS signal at the time of the attack. The last transmission took place in Djibouti – according to Kelly, a sign that the ship had not set sail. The freighter was already the target of an attack a week ago, but it failed, according to UKMTO data. On September 23, “a splash and the sound of an explosion nearby” was reported.
The Yemeni Huthi have carried out numerous attacks on ships in the Red Sea since 2023. They have targeted ships linked to Israel, although this description does not apply to all incidents. Many shipping companies have stopped sailing the Red Sea since the attacks began, choosing instead to take a detour via the Cape of Good Hope. (JW)
