A cargo ship has been declared a constructive total loss after being struck by multiple unknown projectiles off Yemen, in the latest attack to further raise tensions in the southern Red Sea. UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Tuesday that local authorities reported the incident about 40 nautical miles south-east of Al Mukha, Yemen.
The vessel was unmanned when it came under attack, UKMTO said, with the resulting damage leaving it a “complete constructive loss”. Authorities are investigating, although no details were immediately available on the vessel’s identity or why it was unmanned. The incident comes amid a sharp deterioration in maritime security around the southern Red Sea, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the nearby port of Al-Mokha.
The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) said in its latest regional assessment that Al-Mokha Port remains completely closed to commercial traffic following more than 25 cumulative missile impacts and fires at its berths. Commercial shipping through the southern Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb also remains below normal levels.
JMIC continues to rate the threat level in the Bab el-Mandeb and southern Red Sea as “substantial”, warning that further attacks remain highly possible amid continued Houthi messaging and military activity. The latest incident follows a deadly attack near Al Mukha on 11 August, when another cargo vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while stationary about five nautical miles off the Yemeni coast.
The attack sparked a fire and resulted in multiple crew fatalities and injuries, according to JMIC. The worsening security situation in the Red Sea comes as commercial shipping faces a parallel wave of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. JMIC said that attacks on commercial vessels in the strait had increased, including projectile strikes against both inbound and outbound ships.