12/31/2023 7:17 pm (current 12/31/2023 7:17 pm)
Following two attacks on a container ship belonging to Danish shipping company Maersk Line in the Red Sea, the company suspended travel through the affected area. All traffic routes are to be suspended for 48 hours to investigate the incident and assess the security situation, the company said at the request of the German Press Agency on Sunday.
Maersk confirmed that the vessel Maersk Hangzhou was struck by an object on Saturday night after passing north through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The ship was initially able to continue its course. However, four boats later approached the ship, opened fire and attempted to enter the cargo ship. The attack was successfully repelled with the help of a military helicopter and the ship's security team, the statement continued. The crew was reportedly safe, the company emphasized.
The US military had previously reported the incident and blamed pro-Iranian Houthi rebels in Yemen for the attack. US helicopters sank three of the four attack boats, according to a statement from the responsible US regional command on Platform X, formerly Twitter. His crew was killed. The fourth boat fled. There was no damage or injuries on the US side.
The pro-Iranian group attacked the ship with small arms from four small boats. It was said that the rebels came within 20 meters of the Danish container ship and also tried to enter the ship. An onboard security team returned fire.
Houthi rebels have accused the US of attacking their boats. A rebel spokesman said in a televised speech on Sunday that 10 of its members were killed or missing in the attack. “The US enemy is bearing the consequences of this crime,” the spokesperson said.
Since the start of the war in Gaza, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked Israel with drones and rockets. Recently, they have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea – one of the most important shipping routes for world trade because it connects the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal in Egypt.