The Houthis did not attack the ship that caught fire on Saturday in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen, the rebel-controlled Saba news agency reported.
Earlier, the European maritime mission “Aspides“ reported that the tanker “MV Falcon“, carrying liquefied gas, caught fire and drifted in the Gulf of Aden. The incident occurred on October 18, 113 nautical miles southeast of the Yemeni port of Aden. According to the European mission, approximately 15% of the tanker's hull was engulfed in flames on the afternoon of October 18.
A Sabah source in the Houthi government's Ministry of Defense told the news agency that rebel forces "had nothing to do with this incident." The Aspides mission also said it was unlikely that an attack on the ship had caused the fire. According to British maritime security company Ambrey, no signs of the use of missiles or drones were found in the area of the incident. Furthermore, the vessel does not fit the type of targets typically targeted by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The tanker MV Falcon, flying the flag of Cameroon, was traveling from Oman to Djibouti. There were 26 crew members on board. According to the latest reports, 24 of the crew were rescued by two passing merchant ships, one of which continued with them to Djibouti, escorted by a Greek frigate. Two crew members are still missing. The “Aspides“ mission advised all nearby vessels to maintain a safe distance from the MV Falcon, which was fully loaded with liquefied gas.