Armed Skiffs Attack Two Ships Off Yemen in Separate Gulf of Aden Incidents

Two merchant vessels were attacked by armed skiffs off Yemen on Sunday in separate incidents reported by UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), raising fresh concerns about piracy and maritime security in the Gulf of Aden despite the region’s recent focus on the conflict involving Iran and the Houthis.

According to UKMTO, the first incident occurred approximately 14 nautical miles south of Yemen’s coast, where a containership reported being approached by a small skiff. The occupants opened fire and attempted to board the vessel before the attack was thwarted. No casualties or damage were immediately reported.

Several hours later, UKMTO issued a second alert involving a tanker approximately 111 nautical miles southeast of Aden. In that incident, a skiff carrying four armed individuals reportedly approached the vessel and opened fire with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG). Authorities are investigating both attacks.

The incidents come less than a week after an armed security team aboard a merchant vessel exchanged gunfire with a small craft carrying six armed individuals approximately 88 nautical miles southwest of Balhaf, Yemen. In that case, the vessel’s security team returned fire, causing the attackers to break off their approach.

While the Iran-backed Houthi movement has threatened to resume attacks on Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, the tactics described in the latest incidents differ markedly from recent Houthi operations, which have relied primarily on missiles, drones and unmanned surface vessels.

The use of armed skiffs and attempted boardings is more consistent with traditional piracy activity that plagued the region during the height of the Somali piracy crisis.

The latest advisory from the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) has warned that piracy action group activity remains possible in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin, noting that three merchant vessels are currently being held by Somali pirates, including an oil products tanker seized earlier this year.

The Gulf of Aden remains one of the world’s most important shipping corridors, connecting the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The incidents serve as a reminder that shipowners operating in the Gulf of Aden face a range of security threats, from piracy and armed robbery to the wider instability tied to regional conflicts.

Editorial Standards · Corrections · About gCaptain

Subscribe for Daily Maritime Insights

Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update

— trusted by our 105,069 members