What Happened with the Fire-Ravaged Ship off Yemen’s Coast?
the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency, reported that Reuters stated the European Union Naval Force mission announced that a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker flying the Cameroonian flag suffered an explosion and large fire near the coast of Yemen on Saturday.
According to the report, the ship’s crew had to abandon the vessel after the explosion occured.
The EU naval mission known as Operation Aspides released a statement confirming that the tanker MV Falcon is currently burning near Yemen’s shores.
The statement warned that spreading flames pose a serious threat to navigation in this area and urged all nearby vessels to maintain a safe distance from the tanker.
Initial investigations have not determined the exact cause of the explosion; however, early evidence suggests it was likely due to an accidental incident.
It is reported that around 15 percent of the ship’s hull is engulfed in flames.
At this time, rescue operations for MV Falcon’s 26 crew members are underway. Two commercial ships in proximity have successfully rescued 24 crew members so far, but two remain missing.
The british security firm Ambrey stated that MV Falcon was sailing from Sohar port in Oman toward Djibouti when it caught fire approximately 113 nautical miles southeast of Aden port in southern Yemen.
Security sources stressed there were no signs of missile or drone attacks in the area. They also confirmed that this incident does not match patterns associated with Houthi (Ansar Allah) attacks off Yemen’s coast.
A defense official from the Sanaa government backed by Ansar Allah told saba News Agency they deny any link between their group and this event.
Houthi forces have conducted multiple attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea as 2023 before Gaza ceasefire agreements, as part of their declared support for Palestinians amid Israel’s comprehensive offensive against Gaza.
This campaign has been framed as backing Gaza’s population against what they describe as aggressive actions by Israel’s regime.
