Ship in the Red Sea Sinks After Attacked by USV

JAKARTA - A ship in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Red Sea, sank after being attacked by an unmanned surface vehicle (USV), according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO).

The first incident, which was reported on Tuesday, occurred 9 nautical miles (about 10.4 miles) off the coast of the city of Al Mukha, Yemen, and caused a fire on board.

"The crew members were rescued by local authorities and are safe and healthy," the maritime agency wrote on its X platform on Wednesday, August 5, quoted by CNN.

"The ship was reported to have sunk," added UKMTO.

UKMTO did not name the ship or the party responsible for the attack. However, the Iranian-backed Houthi group has repeatedly threatened to disrupt shipping through the strait, a crucial point at the southern end of the Red Sea.

Indian authorities on Tuesday, August 4, said an Indian-flagged vessel was hit and sunk by a projectile off the coast of Yemen, with all 14 sailors safely brought to Al Mukha port.

Meanwhile, according to Reuters, the Yemeni transport ministry accused the Houthi group of attacking the ship using a boat loaded with explosives.