Helicopter rescues crew of Dutch crew ship attacked off Yemeni coast

The 19-member crew of the cargo ship Minervagracht, sailing under the Dutch flag, was airlifted by a rescue helicopter after the vessel came under attack Monday in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen. Two crew members were injured. One, in serious condition, was flown to Djibouti in East Africa for treatment, while the other is reported to be in stable condition, according to the EU mission Aspides late Monday night.

The crew of the ship, owned by the Dutch shipping company Spliethoff, consisted of Russians, Ukrainians, Filipinos, and Sri Lankans, according to the rescuers who evacuated them. A company spokesperson had previously said that no Dutch nationals were among them. The company confirmed Tuesday morning that all crew members have been brought to safety.

The cargo ship was heavily damaged by an explosion, Spliethoff reported on Monday. As of Tuesday morning, the vessel was still adrift and on fire, according to the shipping company and Aspides.

The military mission monitors maritime traffic in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which is regularly targeted by Yemeni rebels and, in the past, also by Somali pirates.

It is still unclear who is responsible for the attack on the ship. In the past, Yemen’s Houthi movement has attacked international shipping. The group, which has expressed solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, has also launched strikes against Israel.