A ship attacked off Yemen. Piracy or act related to the Yemeni conflict?

(B2) A tanker Saudi flag of Saudi Arabia, the MT Abqaiq, was indeed the victim of an attack in the southern Red Sea on Tuesday (April 3), confirmed the HQ of EUNAVFOR Atalanta (the European anti-piracy operation), this Wednesday (April 4) at the end of afternoon.

An incident related to the Yemeni conflict ?

The cause and origin of the attack have yet to be determined. According to the joint assessment of EUNAVFOR and the CMF (the combined maritime forces under American authority), theincident could be likely to be linked to the ongoing conflict in Yemen. ATno other activity related to the incident has been reported ». The " vessel has continued on its way and the crew is safe and sound clarified the captain.

An explosion heard on board

We would not be, here, in a case of pure piracy. According to'UKMTO, the British Merchant Marine Safety Service, an explosion took place. [...] The cause of the explosion is not known and an investigation into the incident has been launched ". The incident took place near the city of Al Hudaydah / Al-Hodeida (Yemen) (position 142918N 0421112AND).

An attack by Houthi militias according to Saudi Arabia

For Saudi Arabia, there is no doubt. The Saudi oil tanker was “ under attack by Houthi militias » indicates a dispatch from the Saudi Press Agency. This attempt was interrupted following a rapid intervention by a navy ship of the coalition [Arab, led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen],” said Colonel Turki Al-Malki, spokesman for the coalition. The attack has caused slight damage to the tanker he said. But this one could nevertheless continue to sail north safely, escorted by a navy vessel [Saudi]”.

NB: An incident occurred at the end of March, in the Gulf of Aden, which would be linked to a classic act of piracy (Read: An attack on another tanker in the Gulf of Aden in late March)

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

(1) The MT Abqaiq belongs to the Saudi company National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia's (Bahri) and flies the flag of Saudi Arabia.

Updated: the attack at the end of March has been the subject of a separate article for more readability