International maritime security company Aspedas announced the successful rescue of the crew of a Dutch cargo ship. The ship was subjected to a violent missile attack in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen.
The vessel, named “Minervagracht” and owned by the Dutch company “Splithof”, sustained severe damage and a major fire. This occurred after being targeted this morning while sailing southeast of the city of Aden.
Aspedes confirmed that the ship’s 19-member crew of Russian, Ukrainian, Filipino, and Sri Lankan nationalities was all rescued. This included one injured person whose condition is stable. Another person was transferred to Djibouti for treatment after sustaining serious injuries.
For its part, the UK Maritime Security Agency (UKMTO) clarified that the attack occurred 128 nautical miles from Aden. They noted that the ship had been subjected to a similar attack on September 23. At that time, it was en route to the port of Djibouti.
Maritime security firms estimate that the projectile that struck the ship was an explosive device or a missile of unknown origin. This comes amid an escalation in attacks targeting international shipping in the region.
