Dry cargo ship Verbena (archive photo). Photo: vesselfinder.com
The cargo ship Verbena has wrecked in the Gulf of Aden after being hit by missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the ship’s crew was forced to abandon ship after failing to extinguish a fire caused by the attack. The crew was reportedly picked up by another merchant vessel as the nearby Iranian frigate IRIN Jamaran failed to respond to a distress call.
The Palau-flagged, Ukrainian-owned and Polish-operated vessel Verbena made the emergency call due to a fire on board caused by two cruise missiles hit by the Houthis on Thursday. One sailor was seriously injured in the attack and was evacuated by U.S. forces.
Since November, Iran-backed Houthis have been attacking ships in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The attacks, which seriously disrupt maritime trade, have increased in recent days. On Wednesday, another cargo ship, the M/V Tutor, was abandoned by its crew due to extensive damage caused by a missile fired from the closely Houthi-controlled Yemeni city of Hodeidah. The ship is now adrift in the Red Sea.
A spokesman for the Houthi rebels told Telegram that the Verbena is sinking in the Gulf of Aden after the missile strike, while the Tutor is at risk of sinking in the next few hours. He added that the operations are dedicated to the brothers fighting in Gaza and warned all companies of the consequences of co-operating with Israel and the arrival of their ships in Palestinian ports.
