We now report on the latest developments in the ongoing Middle East and Red Sea crisis for shipping, where a major missile attack in the Gulf of Aden has led to multiple fatalities and abandonment of a cargo vessel.
The vessel True Confidence was hit early this morning by Houthi-fired missiles. As a result of the attack, the latest in a string of them since the Israeli-Gaza conflict began in October, the ship’s crew abandoned it. The vessel had been on fire at the time of the attack. At the time of abandonment, several crew members were missing. Now, it has been reported that two members of the ship’s crew sadly passed away.
True Confidence was on the move between China, where its voyage originated, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, its destination.
On its voyage between China and Saudi Arabia, the crew totaled 20 members. The members were one Indian crew member, four Vietnamese crew members, and 15 Filipino crew members, in addition to security personnel.
The ship’s cargo consisted of steel commodities and some trucking vehicles. Following the attack, the ship and its crew received help from naval ships in the area.
The attack continues the alarming trend of multiple vessels coming under fire and attack from Houthi rebels over the past few months.
The attacks, which began after the Israel-Gaza conflict began in earnest, have not let up despite international cooperation and a concerted effort to increase vessel security. Some countries have even counter-attacked deep inside Yemen, where the Houthi rebels are operating out of.
Just this week, the U.S. and its allies were pushing back against Houthi attacks by shooting down missiles and drones in the Red Sea.
