A Greek-owned cargo ship, the True Confidence, was struck by a missile on Wednesday in an attack likely carried out by Houthi forces, according to the ship's owners and operators. The incident occurred approximately 50 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Aden.
The bulk carrier is currently adrift with a fire still burning onboard, as reported by the owners and operators. They also stated that no information is currently available regarding the status of the 20 crew members and three armed guards aboard. However, a separate shipping source revealed that three sailors were missing, and four others sustained severe burns.
The Houthi militia has launched numerous drone and missile attacks against international commercial vessels in Yemen since mid-November, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians in the face of Israeli military actions in Gaza.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving reports of an incident 54 nautical miles southwest of Aden. Additionally, a U.S. defence official reported seeing smoke emanating from the True Confidence and a lifeboat in the vicinity.
These attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing companies to adopt longer and more expensive routes around southern Africa. While owned by the Liberian-registered True Confidence Shipping, the vessel is operated by the Greece-based Third January Maritime, and according to a joint statement from both companies, it has no connection to the United States.
