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EU Naval Mission says LPG-laden Tanker is on Fire Off Yemen

In a press release, Aspides, the European Union naval force, said that the LPG-laden vessel MV Falcon, was on fire off the coasts of Yemen on Saturday after its crew reported an explosion which forced them to abandon ship.

Aspides stated that the cause of explosion was not clear but it most likely an accident based on initial indications. Aspides said that at least 15 percent of the Cameroon flagged vessel was on fire.

Aspides warned vessels to maintain a safe distance because the tanker, which was loaded with liquefied gas, could explode.

Aspides stated in a press release that "the fire onboard is growing." "MV Falcon is a navigational danger." "Everyone in the area should exercise caution."

The 26 crewmembers were being rescued by an operation.

Two merchant ships sailing in the area have recovered 24 seafarers so far. Two merchant vessels, one of which was the MV Veda took the seafarers rescued from the ship to Djibouti escorted a Greek frigate.

Aspides reported that two crew members have been reported missing.

Ambrey, a British security company, said that the MV Falcon was traveling from Oman's Sohar Port towards Djibouti. The explosion happened as the ship was sailing 113 miles south of Aden, Yemen.

According to maritime security sources, neither unmanned aerial vehicles nor missiles had been detected.

Ambrey stated that the tanker did not match the profile of the Houthi militants in Yemen who are Iran-aligned.

According to the Houthi news agency Saba, an official in the Houthi Defence Ministry said that the group has no connection with the incident.

Since 2023, Houthi militants claim to have carried out numerous attacks against vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians in response to Israel's Gaza war.

The attacks disrupted the flow of trade through the Red Sea, the Suez Canal and one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Reporting by Enas Al Alashray and Muhammad Al Gebaly; Editing by Jan Harvey, Barbara Lewis and Renee Maltezou

(source: Reuters)