Shipping
Merchant Ship Illegally Boarded Off Yemen; Second Vessel Reports Suspicious Approach
A merchant vessel was illegally boarded by four armed individuals approximately 76 nautical miles south of Balhaf, Yemen on Wednesday, with attackers armed with an RPG causing damage to the bridge and adjacent compartments before departing. Just over two hours later, a tanker reported a suspicious approach by a small craft roughly 85 nautical miles south of Balhaf. Both incidents occurred in the Gulf of Aden, where merchant ships continue facing threats from armed small craft despite easing regional tensions elsewhere.
