Dutch-flagged vessel remains adrift and ablaze, crew evacuated, after attack in Gulf of Aden

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DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) -The Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht was ablaze and adrift in the Gulf of Aden on Tuesday, a day after being hit by an explosive device that injured two seafarers and forced the crew’s evacuation, its operator and the EU maritime mission Aspides said.

It was unclear if the ship was targeted by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis, who since 2023 have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea, saying their assaults are in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel’s war in Gaza.

If confirmed, it would be the first Houthi attack on a commercial ship since September 1.

Minervagracht was sailing off Djibouti, with 19 crew members and without cargo, when the explosion occurred, the vessel’s Amsterdam-based operator Spliethoff said.

“Minervagracht has sustained considerable damage,” the company said in a statement, adding that all the crew had been safely evacuated and that it was working with international authorities and experts to salvage the vessel.

Most of the crew, including one of the injured seafarers who is in a stable condition, were transferred to a Greek and a French frigate, naval mission Aspides said on Tuesday.

Another crew member, who was seriously wounded, was evacuated by helicopter and they have all arrived in Djibouti. 

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Nayera Abdallah and Renee Maltezou; Editing by Ros Russell)