An oil tanker caught fire in the Red Sea after a missile attack by Houthi fighters based in Yemen.
The ship's owner, Trafigura, said the Marlin Luanda “was hit by a missile while crossing the Red Sea” on Friday.
She added, “Fire equipment is deployed on board the ship to extinguish and control the fire that broke out in one of the cargo tanks on the right side.”
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Trafigura, a trading company with offices in London, said it was still in contact with the 250-metre-long ship.
The vessel's operator is Oceonix Services Ltd, a UK registered company.
The crew boarded lifeboats as a precaution but no casualties were reported, US officials told Sky's US partner NBC News.
The ship is known to be carrying a flammable liquid called naphtha, which makes the fire even more dangerous.
USS Carney and a French frigate responded to the ship's distress call.
The incident occurred 60 nautical miles southeast of Aden in Yemen, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which oversees the area.
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What is the goal of the Houthi strikes?
The USS Carney was targeted by a missile in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, according to the US military, which said the missile had been shot down.
An American official, who requested to remain anonymous, said that this is the first time that the Houthis have directly targeted an American warship since they began their attacks.
US Central Command said that on Saturday morning, an anti-ship missile targeting the Red Sea was destroyed.
The Houthis It has been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November, blaming the Israeli war on it agitation.
However, they targeted ships with weak or no obvious connections IsraelThis puts shipping on a major trade route at risk and forces some to sail much longer.
In a statement, Houthi Brigadier General Yahya Saree described the tanker Marilyn Luanda as a “British” tanker.
He said that the attack came in support of “the oppressed Palestinian people” and in response to “the American-British aggression against our country.”
He added, “Using a number of appropriate naval missiles, the strike was direct and led to the burning of the ship.”
He added, “The Yemeni Armed Forces are continuing their military operations.”
“Imposing a blockade on Israeli navigation in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea until a ceasefire is reached.” GazaAnd allowing food and medicine to enter the besieged Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
In response to the missile attack, a British government spokesman noted that “current reports indicate that there were no casualties and that nearby coalition ships are at the scene.”
They added: “We have made clear that any attacks on commercial shipping are completely unacceptable and that the UK and our allies reserve the right to respond appropriately.”
Read more:
What firepower do the UK and US have in the Gulf?
Why did the allies launch more strikes and who are the Houthis?
Shipping data indicates that the ship Marlin Luanda was sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands and was on its way to Singapore.
The UKMTO has warned other vessels to sail with caution and to report any suspicious activity.
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Along with numerous air strikes on key Houthi targets, the UK and US are also targeting key figures in the Iran-backed armed group with sanctions.
A second series of British and US airstrikes, carried out at the beginning of the week, appear to have done little to deter Houthi action.
