A merchant ship about 15 nautical miles west of Yemen reported gunfire after spotting about 15 small vessels nearby. The report was filed on Friday by the British agency United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), reports “Reuters“, quoted by News.bg.
According to information provided by the crew, the small vessels were only 1-2 cables away (about 180-370 meters), after which they withdrew. The crew remained on high alert.
The captain reported that there were no injuries and everyone on board was safe. The ship continued its journey to its next port.
The incident comes amid ongoing instability in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where commercial vessels are frequently attacked by both Yemeni Houthis and Somali pirates.