Cargo vessel attacked off Yemen's Red Sea coast, says UKMTO
Aden, July 5
A cargo vessel came under attack by unknown armed assailants off Yemen's Red Sea coast on Sunday, triggering a distress alert, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.
In a statement posted on its X handle, the UKMTO said it had received a report of the incident about 30 nautical miles southwest of the port city of Hodeidah.
It said authorities were investigating the incident and did not immediately provide details about the attackers, casualties or damage to the vessel, Xinhua news agency reported.
The UKMTO advised vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.
The latest incident came amid persistent security concerns in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, where commercial vessels have faced a series of attacks, attempted boardings and piracy-related incidents in recent months.
The Indian Navy, last week, swiftly responded to an attempted pirate attack on a Grenadian-flagged bulk carrier, approximately 300 nautical miles east-northeast of Djibouti.
"MV Golden Arsenal, a St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged bulk carrier, en route from Aden, Yemen, with 21 crew members, including one Indian national, reported an attempted pirate attack approximately 300 nautical miles east-northeast of Djibouti on the afternoon of 01Jul 26," the spokesperson of the Indian Navy wrote on X.
The piracy incident was reported in coordination with the Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), following which the INS Trikand mission, deployed in the region, was directed to intercept the merchant vessel.
"Mission deployed INS Trikand, a stealth frigate of the Indian Navy operating in the Gulf of Aden, responded swiftly to the reported piracy attempt and arrived in the vicinity of the vessel early on 02 Jul 26," it added.
The Master of MV Golden Arsenal confirmed the safety of all crew members despite damage to the bridge superstructure and adjoining compartments. The crew had taken shelter in the vessel's citadel.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Another incident in the Red Sea! The Indian Navy's quick response to the MV Golden Arsenal attack is commendable, especially with the safe rescue of our Indian crewman. 🙏 Kudos to INS Trikand and IFC-IOR for swift action. But honestly, why is the international community not doing more to patrol these waters?
Jo bhi ho, Indian Navy ka response dekh ke mann ko sukoon milta hai. 😊 But this shows how volatile the region is. We need to strengthen our naval presence in the Indian Ocean Region. The government should also look into protecting our merchant vessels with better onboard security measures.
As someone involved in shipping, these attacks are a nightmare for maritime logistics. The UKMTO warning and Indian Navy's interceptions are crucial, but it's clear that piracy and unauthorized attacks are becoming more organized. We need international naval task forces coordinating better.
Thank god our Navy is alert! But let's also think about the 21 crew members on that ship - must be terrifying. 😟 Respect to MV Golden Arsenal crew for their quick thinking and use of citadel. Indian Navy ki training aur coordination ka result hai yeh - proud moment for India.
It's high time countries like India, China, and Gulf nations invest in joint patrols. These attacks threaten global trade and directly impact fuel prices and goods in India. Why should innocent sailors pay with their lives? Indian Navy is doing great, but we need systemic change in maritime security governance.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.