Overview

• EU Operation Aspides reported that 24 crew abandoned MV Falcon, 23 Indians were rescued, two remain missing, and one person was reported still aboard.
• The Cameroon-flagged tanker was sailing from Sohar, Oman, to Djibouti when a blast left it adrift with about 15% of the vessel on fire roughly 113 nautical miles southeast of Aden.
• A passing gas carrier, MV Meda, recovered survivors, and Djibouti’s ports authority said it assisted in the rescue effort.
• Aspides has warned vessels to keep distance because the ship is fully loaded with liquefied petroleum gas and presents a navigational hazard with risk of further explosions.
• A private salvage company has taken charge of recovery operations, while authorities continue to probe the cause with no confirmed attribution and a Houthi denial of involvement.