Dutch general cargo ship hit by explosive device raises safety concerns in Gulf of Aden

The Netherlands-flagged general cargo vessel Minervagracht sustained “considerable damage” and is “experiencing a fire” after being hit by an unidentified explosive device in international waters of the Gulf of Aden on Monday, Amsterdam-based shipowner Spliethoff said in its latest report on Tuesday. All 19 crew members of the vessel have been safely evacuated to nearby vessels. Two of the 19 seafarers suffered injuries and are currently receiving medical attention onboard the nearby ships.

The attack caused a fire on board and injured two of the 19 crew, who were evacuated to nearby vessels by helicopter.

“The two injured seafarers are receiving first medical aid on board of these ships. The extent of their injuries is yet unknown. The company is currently in the process of contacting the next of kin of the Minerva seafarers,” Spliethoff said in its statement on Monday.

The attack hit the ship, which had been targeted in a failed assault last week by the Houthis, according to the Maritime Information Cooperation & Awareness Center (MICA Center), the French center for analysis and assessment of the global maritime security situation.

“At this time, the vessel has been reported to be on fire,” the centre said. A “warship is heading to the scene.”

The French MICA Center, which identified the Houthis as carrying out the attack, didn’t disclose the name of the ship in its post on X.

At about 12:50 UTC on September 29, MSCIO/MICA received a report of a missile attack from Houthis against a merchant ship about 128 nautical miles south-east of Aden, Yemen. A distress call has been sent.

The ship had already been targeted by Houthis on September 23 with a missile which splashed close to her, MICA Center noted in a post on X.

The Iranian-backed Houthis have not claimed the assault, though it can take them hours or days to acknowledge their attacks.

It wasn’t clear if the Houthis targeted the 12,232-dwt (2011-built) ship.

According to EUNAVFOR Operation ASPIDES, all 19 crew members, Russian, Ukrainian, Filipino, and Sri Lankan, are rescued.

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said that a vessel had been hit “by an unknown projectile” and was “reported to be on fire,” citing reports from military authorities.

UKMTO didn’t disclose the name of the ship in its report.

UKMTO is a voluntary reporting scheme (VRS) for the Indian Ocean, specifically Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea, which details escalating tensions in the Middle East with direct impact on mariners.

The incident is under development and updates will be provided when further information becomes available.

Spliethoff Statement About Minervagracht on Tuesday (Sep. 30)

“All 19 crew members of our motorvessel Minervagracht have been safely evacuated to nearby vessels after the ship was hit by an unknown explosive device in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden on Monday.

“Two of our valued seafarers suffered injuries and are currently receiving medical attention onboard the nearby ships.

“Minervagracht has sustained considerable damage and is experiencing a fire. The vessel was sailing Eastbound from Djibouti at the time of the incident and is not carrying any cargo. Spliethoff are engaging with international authorities and specialists to safeguard and secure the vessel.

“Spliethoff would again like to express its deepest concern over the current events and continues to provide support to the involved seafarers and their families at this extremely difficult time. The company would like to thank the crew of the nearby vessels for their swift assistance during the rescue operation.”