UKMTO receives report of incident near Yemen’s Mocha

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Tuesday that they received a report of an incident 33 nautical miles northwest of Yemen’s Mocha.

“The Master of an MV reports a further missile attack. The vessel has sustained further damage. The crew are safe, and the vessel is proceeding to their next port of call,” the UKMTO advisory note said.

British security firm Ambrey said separately on Tuesday that it had received a report of an incident about 54 nautical miles southwest of Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah where a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier was targeted with three missiles.

The ship issued a distress call, saying it had sustained damage to the cargo hold and was taking on water Ambrey said.

Greek shipping sources said the vessel, which bears the name Laax, was sailing to a port nearby to assess the extent of the damage. It was headed to the United Arab Emirates.

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have launched repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea region since November, later expanding to the Indian Ocean, in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians.