Two crew injured in attack on Dutch cargo ship Minervagracht in Gulf of Aden

Vessel struck by explosive device amid escalating Houthi threats to commercial shipping in Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

The Minervagracht. Photo: VesselFinder.com

The Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht sustained substantial damage and two of its crew have suffered injuries after it was hit by an explosive device in the Gulf of Aden, the vessel's operator said on Monday.

“Earlier today the general cargo vessel Minervagracht that was on passage in the Gulf of Aden, in international waters, came under attack by an unidentified explosive device, inflicting substantial damage to the ship,” the vessel's Amsterdam-based operator Spliethoff said in a statement.

“Following the attack, Minervagracht is suffering from a fire. As a result, two of the crew of Minervagracht have sustained injuries. Currently the crew of 19 are being evacuated to nearby vessels by helicopter.”

The vessel was built in 2011 and is 142.1 metres in length, and was struck approximately 128 nautical miles (237km) south-east of the Yemeni port city of Aden, just six days after another attempted attack in the same area, according to officials.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility, but the incident aligns with a string of recent attacks and threats linked to Yemen's Houthi group, who have increasingly attacked commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since the Gaza war started in October 2023.

The Houthis have used drones, ballistic missiles and other projectiles to strike or attempt to strike vessels they allege are connected to Israel, the United States or Western allies – actions that have disrupted global trade routes and escalated regional maritime tensions.

If confirmed, this would be the first attack by the Houthis on a commercial ship since September 1, when they attacked the Israeli-owned tanker Scarlet Ray near Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port city of Yanbu. In July, the Houthis attacked and sank the Magic Seas bulk carrier and Eternity C cargo ship in the Red Sea.

Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a maritime security incident in the same area, approximately 128 nautical miles south-east of Aden. According to initial reports from the vessel's master, smoke and a splash were observed in the distance, astern of the ship.

In a subsequent update, military authorities confirmed that a vessel in the vicinity had been hit by an unknown projectile and was on fire. Investigations into the incident are continuing. All vessels transiting the region were advised to exercise heightened caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.