Khaberni - European maritime sources confirmed the grounding of the Dutch cargo ship that was attacked 128 nautical miles southeast of the port of Aden, southern Yemen.
The European mission "Aspides" said in a series of tweets on its "X" platform account on Monday evening, "The commercial freighter (MV MINERVAGRACHT), which caught fire following the attack in the Gulf of Aden, has drifted and is adrift at sea after its crew lost control of it."
It added that the general cargo ship, flying the Dutch flag, did not request protection from the European naval force present in the region.
"Aspides" indicated that it is currently conducting, in coordination with European and regional authorities, a continuous assessment of the situation, adding: "We are fully prepared to facilitate any actions concerning the ship and its crew."
The European naval force renewed its commitment "to protecting human life at sea and contributing to the freedom of navigation in high seas."
Rescue teams evacuated the ship's crew, consisting of 19 members from Russia, Ukraine, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. "Aspides" reported that one of them is in stable condition, while another suffered serious injuries and is being transferred to Djibouti.
The French Military's Maritime Information, Cooperation and Awareness Center (MICA Center) earlier reported that Monday's attack on the "MINERVAGRACHT" ship, owned by the Dutch company "Spliethoff," was the second within a week, stating that it "had previously been targeted by the Houthis on September 23rd with a missile, which did not hit the ship as it fell approximately two nautical miles away from its location in the Gulf of Aden."
As of this moment, the Houthi group has not declared responsibility for the attack on the ship; however, the French "MICA Center" attributed the incident to the group, stating, "The ship has no connection to Israel, and the reason for the Houthis targeting it twice remains unknown."
Since 2023, the Houthis have attacked ships they consider "linked to Israel" while sailing in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
