DUBAI: Iranian-backed Houthi militants attacked a Maersk container vessel, prompting the corporate to pause all crusing by the Crimson Sea for 48 hours, Maersk mentioned on Sunday (Dec 31).
The assault was the most recent by Houthi militants in Yemen, who’ve been targeting vessels in The Red Sea to indicate their assist for Palestinian Islamist group Hamas fighting Israel in Gaza.
US Navy helicopters sank three of 4 small boats utilized by the militants to assault the Maersk Hangzhou vessel within the southern Crimson Sea late on Saturday, the US army mentioned.
The crew onboard the Maersk ship reported a flash on deck on Dec 30 at round 1830 CET, when the vessel was 55 nautical miles southwest of Al Hodeidah, Maersk mentioned.
Helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely, responding to misery calls from Maersk Hangzhou, returned fireplace on the Houthi boats in self-defence and sank three of the vessels, with no survivors, US Central Command (CENTCOM) mentioned in an announcement.
The fourth boat fled the world, mentioned the assertion on social media platform X.
The Maersk Hangzhou crew was secure and there was no indication of fireside onboard the vessel that was totally manoeuvrable and continued its journey north to Port Suez, Maersk mentioned.
The Singapore-flagged vessel with capability to hold 14,000 containers was en route from Singapore.