The Dutch-owned general cargo vessel Minervagracht has been targeted twice within a week by Houthi forces in the Gulf of Aden, with the latest attack setting the ship ablaze.
According to the French military’s Maritime Information, Cooperation and Awareness Centre (MICA Centre), the 12,200 dwt vessel was struck around 130 nautical miles off Aden at 13:00 UTC on September 30. The missile impact ignited a fire onboard, producing heavy smoke. A coalition warship was dispatched to assist the stricken vessel.
Initial reports suggested possible injuries among the crew, but subsequent updates confirmed that all seafarers are safe and no casualties have been recorded.
This is the second time Minervagracht has come under fire in recent days. On September 23, the vessel narrowly escaped a Houthi missile strike. The projectile landed two nautical miles away.
The Minervagracht, built in 2011 and operated by Dutch shipping company Spliethoff, has no links to Israel, a fact confirmed by both the MICA Centre and the US Navy-overseen Joint Maritime Information Centre. The reasons behind the repeated targeting remain unclear.
