A US warship rescued a tanker that had been attacked by “armed individuals” in the Gulf of Aden, the US military has said, in the latest such incident to underscore the heightened risk to shipping in the region.
The USS Mason (DDG 87), responded to a distress call by the Central Park tanker in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday and demanded the ship’s release, US Central Command said.
“Subsequently, five armed individuals debarked the ship and attempted to flee via their small boat. The Mason pursued the attackers resulting in their eventual surrender. The crew of the M/V Central Park is currently safe.”
The officials did not identify the attackers, and only said that the vessel was “under attack by an unknown entity.”
In a statement, the U.S. said the USS Mason, with help from allied ships, demanded that the commercial ship be released by the attackers.
The statement added that two ballistic missiles were fired from Houthi controlled parts of Yemen towards the general direction of the Mason and Central Park, but they landed about 10 nautical miles away from them and there was no damage or injuries.
“Maritime domain security is essential to regional stability,” said General Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM commander. “We will continue to work with allies and partners to ensure the safety and security of international shipping lanes.”
The latest attack was revealed by the UK Maritime Trade Operations, which said that a vessel was boarded by unauthorised persons 53 nautical miles south-west of Aden, in Yemen. It advised vessels to exercise extreme caution and report any suspicious activity.
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks in Middle Eastern waters since a war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas broke out.
It followed a seizure of the pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) “Galaxy Leader” by Houthis near Yemen in the southern Red Sea, last week, raising fears that regional tensions heightened over the Israel-Hamas war were playing out on a new maritime front.
The targeted vessel’s group owner was listed as Ray Car Carriers, who were in turn listed as a subsidiary of Abraham Rami Ungar, a company domiciled in Israel, maritime security company Ambrey has revealed in a post last week.
Geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea have increased since the commencement of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Ambrey advises now company security officers to assess whether their vessel was owned or managed by an Israel-affiliated company within the last year.
