A container ship operated by Hapag-Lloyd has become the target of another Houthi attack in the Red Sea. A fire broke out on board, but no one was injured.
The “Al Jasrah” (built in 2016, 15,000 TEU) sails under the Liberian flag in Hapag-Lloyd’s MD2 service. The incident occurred near the Yemeni coast. According to the report, a missile or drone hit the port side and caused a fire. [ds_preview]
Hapag-Lloyd confirmed the attack to HANSA. There were no injuries on board. Additional measures will be taken to ensure the safety of the ships and crews, a spokesman said. He did not give any details.
Attacks by Huthi rebels on the rise
This incident is the latest in a series of attacks in the Red Sea and the strategically important Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, which are attributed to the Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen. They had been announced by the rebels as retaliation for the Israeli-led war in Gaza.
Another, separate incident is said to have occurred around 60 nm southwest of Hodeida, tweeted the British military authority United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors shipping routes in the Middle East. The “MSC Alanya” (built in 2021, 12,199 TEU) is said to have narrowly escaped being hit thanks to an evasive maneuver.
There have been numerous attacks in the past four weeks. The chronicle:
- November 19: The car carrier “Galaxy Leader” is hijacked in the Red Sea.
- November 24: Drone attack on the container ship “CMA CGM Symi” in the Indian Ocean
- November 26: The tanker “Central Park” is briefly boarded in the Gulf of Aden, after which missiles are fired at the ship and the destroyer “USS Mason”.
- December 3: The “Unity Explorer”, the container ship “Number 9” and the “Sophie II” are attacked with drones and missiles.
- December 12: The tanker “Strinda” was hit by a missile in the Red Sea.
- December 13: Two attacks on the “Ardmore Encounter” fail.
- December 14: A missile misses the “Maersk Gibraltar” (10,100 TEU). The bulker “Ruen” (41,600 tons) from Navibulgar is presumably boarded in the Gulf of Aden.
