The incident occurred 51 nautical miles (94 kilometres) southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeida, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in its initial bulletin, later reporting a fire on board after the ship was hit by unknown projectiles.
The monitor — which is run by Britain’s Royal Navy — subsequently said a security officer reported “all crew have now abandoned ship and are awaiting assistance”.
UKMTO had previously said the ship was attacked by several skiffs.
“The vessel has been engaged by multiple small vessels who have opened fire with small arms and self-propelled grenades. (The) armed security team have returned fire and situation is ongoing,” it said.
UK-based security firm Ambrey earlier reported that the merchant ship was struck by two naval drones, “damaging the vessel’s cargo”, while two other unmanned vessels were repelled.
Hodeida is controlled by Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels, and though no one has claimed responsibility for the assault, Ambrey said the vessel matched “the established Huthi target profile”.
Earlier Ambrey reported the ship “was approached and attacked by eight skiffs while transiting northbound in the Red Sea”.
The Huthis, who have controlled large swathes of Yemen for more than a decade, began attacking vessels they deem linked to Israel in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in November 2023, shortly after the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
They broadened their campaign to target ships tied to the United States and Britain after the two countries began military strikes aimed at securing the waterway in January 2024.
In May, the group cemented a ceasefire with the United States that ended weeks of intense American strikes against it, but vowed to continue targeting Israeli ships.
The rebels have attacked dozens of commercial vessels since launching their anti-shipping campaign, which they have said is in solidarity with the Palestinians.
The attacks have prompted some freight companies to detour around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of global trade, according to the International Chamber of Shipping.
