Overview
- The Netherlands-flagged Minervagracht remains ablaze and adrift after the Sept. 29 strike that injured two sailors and prompted the helicopter evacuation of all 19 crew, according to the operator and EU mission Aspides.
- Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said a cruise missile hit the vessel over alleged violations of the group’s restriction on entry to ports it considers tied to Israel.
- The attack occurred roughly 120–128 nautical miles off Aden in international waters, and the ship had been targeted previously on Sept. 23, maritime security firms reported.
- Operator Spliethoff reported substantial damage and said most crew were transferred to allied warships and taken to Djibouti, as UKMTO and other monitors issued advisories for the area.
- The Netherlands called for the European Union to designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization after the strike, which follows months of Houthi attacks that have disrupted key shipping routes.