Armed Small Craft Approach Commercial Vessels Off Yemen, UK Agency Says

Dubai-Two commercial vessels reported being approached by small boats carrying armed individuals off Yemen’s southern coast on Wednesday, but both incidents ended without injuries or disruption to the ships’ voyages, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

In the first incident, a vessel reported being approached by multiple small craft carrying several people armed with small weapons approximately 76 nautical miles south of the Yemeni port of Balhaf, UKMTO said.

The agency said the vessel’s crew remained safe and no casualties were reported.

In a separate incident, UKMTO said it received a report that a small craft approached a tanker operating about 85 nautical miles off Balhaf.

The crew of the tanker was also reported safe, and the vessel continued its voyage without further incident, according to the maritime agency.

UKMTO did not identify the vessels involved or provide further details on the identities or intentions of the individuals aboard the small craft.