Armed rebel group attempts to board vessel in the Red Sea, UKMTO issues alert

Amid the growing turbulence in the Red Sea and West Asia, a sailing vessel was targeted by an armed group off the Yemeni coast. The incident was reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

The incident reflected the volatility of the region's maritime environment, where commercial and private vessels remain under constant threat. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, UKMTO noted that a boat carrying approximately 10 to 12 people, including "four to five armed with automatic weapons," approached a sailing vessel about 54 nautical miles southwest of Al Hudaydah.

The presence of the armed group close to the vessel raised alarms regarding the safety of the crew and the security of the passage. The maritime agency noted that the confrontation escalated rapidly when the unidentified group "requested the vessel stop."

When the captain refused to comply with the demand, the attackers intensified their efforts and "attempted to pull alongside to board" the ship, according to the official statement. This aggressive manoeuvre forced the crew to take immediate evasive and defensive actions to prevent a takeover.

More from World

What went down

In the post, UKMTO stated that the situation was eventually de-escalated through the "quick and decisive actions of the crew." The captain "deployed a flare," a move that proved successful in deterring the attackers. After the deployment, the boat "turned away and departed to the southeast" without further engagement or reported injuries.

Following the encounter, UKMTO confirmed that authorities are "investigating the incident" and have advised all vessels in the area to "transit with caution and report any suspicious activity." The latest boarding attempt took place amid a brewing Red Sea crisis, which remains a persistent maritime security emergency.

Tensions in the region started in October 2023, after Yemen's Houthis came out in support of Gaza's Hamas at the start of the Israel-Hamas war. The Houthis started the aggression by launching a series of drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea.

These attacks on commercial shipping, launched in protest against Israeli military operations in Gaza, have managed to fundamentally disrupt global trade routes and forced a massive shift in maritime logistics.

With inputs from ANI.