Attack Drone Hits American-Owned Ship in the Gulf of Aden, Causing Fire

[Updated] The UKMTO has received a report of an attack on a merchant ship at a position about 60 nautical miles southeast of the Yemeni port city of Aden, in the Gulf of Aden. 

The unnamed ship's master reported that the vessel has been hit on the port side by an aerial drone (UAV). The strike caused a fire on board, which the crew has extinguished. The vessel and the crew are safe, according to UKMTO, and are proceeding to their next port of call. 

"Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO," the consortium advised.

Yemen's Houthi rebels have attacked shipping in the vicinity of Bab el-Mandeb dozens of times since November. The group has increasingly concentrated its attacks on the western Gulf of Aden.

In a statement on social media, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attack and said that the vessel was the bulker GENCO Picardy. The ship is owned and commercially-managed in New York, technically-managed in India, and its flag registry is administered in Virginia. (When contacted, a GENCO representative declined to comment and said that there would be a later update.)

"The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a targeting operation against the American ship (GENCO Picardy) in the Gulf of Aden with a several of adequate naval missiles, leaving direct hits. The Yemeni armed forces will not hesitate to target all sources of threat in the Arab and Red Seas within the legitimate right to defend dear Yemen and to continue supporting the oppressed Palestinian people," he said. 

Saree warned that Houthi forces would continue to attack U.S.-linked ships in retaliation for the ongoing series of American airstrikes on Houthi launch sites, radar systems and weapons depots in Yemen. 

The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) security partnership has advised all civilian shipping to stay well clear of Bab el-Mandeb and the Red Sea, but the shorter Suez route remains in use for many shipping firms. Major operators like Shell, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and others have abandoned the route, and almost all container ships are diverting around the Cape of Good Hope. 

[This story is evolving and will be updated as new information comes in.]

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