The cause of the incident appears to be uncertain at the moment. Houthi rebels have launched several attacks on Saudi-allied vessels off Hodeidah in the recent past, during Yemen’s three-year-old war.
However, this time, the explosion seemed to have originated from the hull, as forces conducted a survey onboard and found an explosion from the inside to the outside, an official explained to Reuters.
In the meantime, other sources indicate that a missile strike is also possible. The ship was carrying 50,000 tonnes of Russian milling wheat.
At the time of the incident, 'Ince Inebolu' was waiting for entry to the Houthi-controlled port of Saleef. The Saudi coalition later towed the ship to the port of Jizan, Saudi Arabia.
