On February 19 Houthis launched an attack with two anti-ship ballistic missiles at the M/V Sea Champion, a Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier vessel that has delivered humanitarian aid to Yemen multiple times.
According to U.S. Central Command, the attack occurred between 12:30 p.m. and 1:50 p.m. (Sanaa time), resulting in one missile detonating near the ship and causing minor damage. Despite the incident, the vessel’s crew continued its course to Aden, Yemen, with the primary objective of delivering grain to benefit the Yemeni population.
Houthis Target Ship Linked to Humanitarian Aid
On February 19, between 12:30 p.m. and 1:50 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at M/V Sea Champion, a Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier bound for the port of Aden in… pic.twitter.com/uOH8FFwo9j
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 21, 2024
U.S. Central Command also reported that the attacked vessel has previously undertaken 11 humanitarian aid deliveries to Yemen over the past five years. M/V Sea Champion was en route to the port of Aden in Yemen.
Reporting
Continuous vessel attacks by the Houthis have been a raising concern for maritime organizations since November. As major industry associations have advised in their security guidance, in the event of any incident, suspicious activity, or concern:
- Report any suspicious activity or concerns to the UKMTO at [email protected] +44 2392 222060
- If under attack, please contact US Naval Forces maritime operations centre in Bahrain directly on +973 1785 3879
- When transiting the high threat area, please consider including NAVCENT NCAGS in your positional reporting, more especially when increasing reporting to hourly. NCAGS may be reached at [email protected] or +973-1785-0033
