Ship evacuated, ablaze after attack by Yemen's Houthis, UKMTO says

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday the crew of a Palau-flagged cargo ship had been evacuated and the ship was on fire and sinking, referring to an incident that happened 98 nautical miles east of Yemen's Aden on Thursday.

Missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi militants struck the Verbena in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, sparking a fire and severely injuring one of its crew, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea region since November in solidarity with Palestinians in Israel's war on Gaza.

On Wednesday, Houthis also attacked a Greek-owned coal carrier near the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, causing severe flooding and damage to the engine room and leaving the vessel – the Tutor – unable to manoeuvre.

"The Verbana is sinking in the Gulf of Aden… The Tutor is at risk of sinking in the coming hours," the Houthis' military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Saturday, repeating the group's threat to target companies that deal with Israel.

The Houthi attacks have upended global trade by forcing ship owners to reroute vessels away from the vital Suez Canal shortcut, and drawn retaliatory US and British strikes since February.

(Reuters)