Armed skiff opens fire on tanker off Yemen as regional risks escalate

June 17 ------ The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported a security incident involving a tanker approximately 111 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen.

According to the report, the vessel was approached by a small skiff carrying four individuals. The occupants of the skiff were armed and reportedly opened fire on the tanker using a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG). No further details on damage or casualties were immediately available. Authorities are investigating the incident.

UKMTO has advised vessels operating in the area to exercise caution and promptly report any suspicious activity. The incident adds to a series of maritime security concerns in the region, following two separate incidents involving commercial shipping in waters off Yemen and Oman reported by UKMTO in recent days.

To remind, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement announced on 8 June that it had launched a missile attack against Israel and imposed what it described as a “complete and total ban” on Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, warning that vessels linked to Israel would once again be regarded as legitimate military targets.

The group’s previous campaign against commercial shipping in the region forced many operators to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, significantly increasing voyage times, fuel consumption and transportation costs.

Source: safety4sea.com