Tanker boarded by armed group off Yemen, says British military
Ambrey said the tanker lacked armed security, and a South Korean warship was sent to assist after the crew issued a distress call.
- On Friday, armed assailants boarded the Tanzania-flagged chemical tanker Asana in the Gulf of Aden, 65 nautical miles south of Al Mukalla, Yemen, and took control of the vessel.
- British maritime security firm Ambrey identified the assailants as suspected Somali pirates rather than Iran-aligned Houthi militia, with the tanker transiting toward Bosaso, Somalia.
- The vessel issued a distress call at 0620 GMT on Friday, lacking an armed security team; the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center confirmed it was boarded by "unauthorized personnel."
- A South Korean warship was dispatched to assist the tanker, according to Greek maritime security company Diaplous, while Vanguard noted that crew status and boarding details remain unclear.
- While Somali pirates have been active in the Gulf of Aden recently, Iran-backed Houthis have threatened to close the Red Sea oil route, compounding regional maritime instability.
43 Articles
43 Articles
A ship carrying chemical and petroleum products under the Tanzanian flag was seized in the Gulf of Aden by unidentified persons, according to the UK Maritime Security Agency UKMTO. However, the Yemeni authorities claim that the ship was captured by Somali pirates.
The Houthis allied with Iran in Yemen recently increasingly threatens with attacks on merchant ships. Now an attack is reported off the coast of Yemen.
Initially, it was believed that the occupation was carried out by the Houthis, due to the tensions that have resumed in the wider Middle East region.
Armed assailants are suspected of having boarded the Asana tanker, of chemicals, on the south coast of Yemen, in the Gulf of Aden, on Friday, and may be in control of the vessel, according to maritime security sources. Based on initial assessments, the incident appears to be related to Somali piracy, and not to Yemen's Houthi militia, aligned with Iran, claimed one of the sources of maritime security. The small tanker, whose flag has not been co…
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