In the most recent attack on foreign shipping in the Red Sea, which the Huthi rebels claim to have carried out, a ship sustained damage on Friday after being struck twice by several missiles off the coast of Yemen.
According to the security agency for UK Maritime Trade Operations, the attack happened southwest of the Yemeni port of Mokha.
According to UKMTO, on social networking site X, the ship “experienced an explosion in close proximity to the vessel which was felt by the crew on board” during the initial strike.
“The second attack on the vessel consisted of what is believed to be two missiles, which resulted in damage.”
Hours earlier, the British maritime security firm Ambrey also reported an attack off the port of Mokha.
“Three missiles were sighted” in that incident, Ambrey said.
“A Panama-flagged tanker was the closest vessel to these. The tanker was formerly UK-owned (but)… the ownership changed in November 2023,” according to Ambrey.
According to the statement, the ship “was en route from Primorsk, Russia, to Vadinar, India” and is currently registered in the Seychelles.
Later, in a post on X, Huthi spokesperson Yahya Saree took credit for the attack.
He stated that the Huthi “naval forces” were “targeted a British oil ship (Andromeda Star) in the Red Sea with a number of appropriate naval missiles, and the ship was directly hit” .
The assault on the Andromeda Star and another ship, the MV Maisha, was also verified by the US Central Command.
The Huthis, CENTCOM said on X, fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles “in the vicinity of MV MAISHA” and at the “MV Andromeda Star, a UK owned and Panamanian flagged, Seychelles operated vessel”.
“MV Andromeda Star reports minor damage, but is continuing its voyage,” it added, saying no injuries were reported.
