Written by Lisa Murimi
A Cameroon-flagged oil tanker issued a distress call on Saturday after an explosion occurred onboard while sailing about 60 nautical miles south of Yemen’s Ahwar, British maritime security firm Ambrey said.
The cause of the explosion remains unclear, and search and rescue operations are currently underway, the firm added. Radio communications from the vessel indicated that the crew intended to abandon ship following the blast.
According to Ambrey, the tanker had been en route from Oman’s Sohar Port to Djibouti when the incident occurred. There were no immediate reports of casualties or details on the extent of the damage.
Ambrey noted that the vessel did not appear to match the typical target profile of Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group, which has carried out numerous attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea since 2023. The Houthis claim the assaults are in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
The attacks have severely disrupted trade through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal — a key global shipping corridor linking Europe and Asia.
Maritime authorities have urged nearby vessels to exercise caution as investigations into the cause of the explosion continue.
