The UKMTO has received a report of a drone hitting a merchant ship around 60 nautical miles southeast of Aden in the western Gulf of Aden. Houthi Rebels have claimed responsibility for the attacks, and the ship has been identified as the American bulker “GENCO PICARDY”.
The report was made by the ship’s captain, stating that a Unmanned Ariel had hit the vessel Vehicle (UAV). The strike caused a fire onboard, which the crew successfully extinguished.
The US Central Command has also confirmed the attack on the GENCO PICARDY. It has been described as a single-way attack or “Kamikaze” drone originating from Yemeni territory. The vessel and the crew are reported to be safe, and the vessel is continuing to its next scheduled port of call. The ship’s AIS signal was last received in the southern area of the Red Sea. The signal disappeared from tracking on January 15th.
Looking ahead, the UKMTO has advised ships transiting through the region to exercise caution. The vessels are also advised to report any suspicious activity immediately to the UKMTO. Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) security partnership has recommended that civilian commercial vessels avoid the Red Sea Route altogether. The route has already been abandoned by large operators such as Hapag Lloyd, Maersk, and Shell. The ships are now rerouting through the Cape of Good Hope.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.