Saudi tanker attacked in Red Sea, catches fire

Riyadh: A Saudi company-owned tanker was attacked and caught fire while sailing in the Red Sea, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Thursday citing an official source at Saudi Arabia’s Transport General Authority (TGA).

The source said the attack caused a consequent fire at the ship’s bow and all crew members aboard the vessel, Encelia, were safe. Relevant authorities in the Gulf country have taken all necessary measures to secure the vessel and its crew, and protect the marine environment, it said.

According to a United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) advisory, the attack occurred about 70 nautical miles (130 km) southwest of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia, in the southern Red Sea.

In a statement aired Thursday, Yemen’s Houthi group said it had attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, identified as Encelia and Layla, using “ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones,” claiming that the vessels had violated its recently announced maritime restrictions, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The group had announced a maritime ban on Saudi-linked vessels two days earlier, citing what it described as Saudi Arabia’s long-running blockade on areas under its control.

The latest attack underscores growing security concerns along the Red Sea shipping route leading to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising fears that disruptions already affecting the Strait of Hormuz could spread to another vital maritime chokepoint.

Shipping analytics firm Kpler said on Wednesday that vessel traffic through both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell sharply on Tuesday as security conditions deteriorated.

The firm also reported several confirmed vessel U-turns near the Gulf of Aden following Houthi threats against Saudi-linked shipping, suggesting that operators were becoming increasingly cautious.

Kpler warned that continued attacks around the two regional maritime chokepoints could reshape shipping routes, raise freight costs and keep geopolitical risk premiums in global energy markets elevated.

–IANS