Firefighting continues on British-linked ship struck by Houthis in Gulf of Aden
Efforts to put out a fire on a British-linked oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden have continued throughout the night after the vessel was struck by Houthi rebels.
The UK and its allies “reserve the right to respond appropriately” following the latest attack claimed by the Iran-backed group, the Government has said.
The Marlin Luanda went up in flames on Friday after Houthi threats to shipping in the region persisted despite the latest round of joint US-UK strikes against rebel sites in Yemen.
The ship is operated on behalf of Trafigura, a multinational trading giant domiciled in Singapore, and sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands but is managed by Oceonix Services Ltd, a company registered in the UK.
In a statement on Saturday, Trafigura said the safety of its crew remained the “utmost priority” as it battles to control the blaze.
“No injuries or casualties have been reported in respect of the incident on board the Marlin Luanda,” a spokesperson said.
“The crew is continuing efforts to control the fire in one of the ship’s cargo tanks with support from military vessels. The safety of the crew remains our utmost priority.”
It comes after another incident in the region on Friday in which two missiles were reported to have exploded in the water and “vessel and crew are safe and no damage reported”.
The Yemeni forces claimed on Friday they had targeted a “British oil” vessel following “American-British aggression against our country.”
The Houthis have repeatedly launched attacks on vessels around the Red Sea over Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, although they have frequently targeted ships with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, endangering shipping on a key global trade route.
A second series of UK and US airstrikes, carried out at the start of the week, appears to have done little to deter rebel action.
The British Government said in response to the latest attack: “We are aware of reports that the M/V Marlin Luanda, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, has sustained damage from attack in the Gulf of Aden.
“Current reports suggest no casualties and nearby coalition vessels are on the scene.
“We have been clear that any attacks on commercial shipping are completely unacceptable and that the UK and our allies reserve the right to respond appropriately.”
On Friday, a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said: “We continue to call on (the Houthis) to step back from such action. We’re clear that this is illegal and unacceptable.”
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron this week embarked on a trip the Middle East in a diplomatic bid to reduce tensions as the Israeli bombardment of Gaza continues.
