All crew members of a Dutch freighter attacked in the Red Sea were evacuated, EU mission Aspides reported overnight Monday to Tuesday.
Aspides said two crew members were injured, one seriously, and that the seriously injured person was taken to Djibouti for treatment. The mission monitors shipping on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Rescuers said the ship’s crew included Russians, Ukrainians, Filipinos and Sri Lankans. A Spliethoff spokeswoman earlier said no Dutch nationals were among the crew.
Spliethoff reported the freighter was severely damaged by an explosion. Aspides said the ship is adrift and on fire.
Who is behind the attack is not yet clear. Since 2023, Houthi rebels who control much of Yemen have attacked several cargo ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. The rebel group says it is targeting ships with links to Israel and says the attacks aim to support Hamas in its war against Israel in Gaza.
