UKMTO: attempted hijack of a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden and strike on a tanker in the Gulf of Oman

A cargo ship traveling through the Gulf of Aden was attacked by one small boat with six armed men on board. There was an exchange of fire between the attackers and a group of armed guards on board the ship. After that the boat turned away. There are no reports of casualties or damage.

Shortly before the incident, the Yemeni Houthis announced a ban on shipping under the Israeli flag in the Red Sea, but Somali pirates are also active in the area. The attribution of this particular attack has not yet been officially established.

A few hours later, the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello, off Sohar in the Gulf of Oman, issued a distress call reporting suspicious activity leading to an explosion and fire. As a result of the fire, one crew member died and two were missing.

British maritime security company Vanguard Tech said the explosion was caused by a missile hitting the engine room.