A major fire broke out on a tanker belonging to Trafigura Group, one of the world’s largest commodity traders, in the Red Sea after an attack by the Houthi rebels. According to Bloomberg, the fire started in the cargo hold on the right side of the ship. The tanker was carrying Russian fuel at the time of the incident.
The company’s spokesperson stated that they are in constant communication with the vessel and closely monitoring the situation. Military ships are en route to provide assistance.
This attack comes after the Houthi rebels targeted the British tanker Marlin Luanda, which is currently engulfed in flames. Ships from the anti-Houthi coalition are rushing to its aid.
Initial reports of the attack on the Marlin Luanda tanker off the coast of Yemen on January 27th were first reported in the American industry magazine Maritime Executive.
Earlier, the Houthi rebels had announced their intention to attack commercial vessels in the Red Sea every 12 hours.