Crew Member Dies Following Houthi Attack on Dutch Cargo Ship ‘Minervagracht’

Netherlands-based Spliethoff confirmed today that a crew member of the MV Minervagracht has died from critical injuries sustained during an attack in the Gulf of Aden last week.

“It is with great sadness that Spliethoff shares the news of the passing of one of our valued crew members,” the company stated in an official release. “We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones.”

Most of the 19-person crew has been safely repatriated to their home countries, while one crew member remains under medical care in Djibouti. His condition is reported as stable, with expectations he will return home later this week.

The Netherlands-flagged general cargo vessel came under attack approximately 128 nautical miles southeast of Yemen’s port city of Aden on September 29. Following the attack, the vessel was on fire and left adrift, creating a navigational hazard in the area.

The attack marked the second time the MV Minervagracht had been targeted within a week, following a previous incident on September 23 while en route to Djibouti. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirmed that on that date, a vessel reported “a splash and the sound of an explosion in its vicinity 120 nautical miles east of Aden.”

Yemen’s Houthis have since claimed responsibility for the attack.

Martin Kelly, Head of Advisory at EOS Risk Group, noted that the attack represents “the 3rd successful Houthi engagement in 2025 out of 5 attempts,” and it was “the first successful engagement in GOA since July 2024.”

The EU Naval Force Operation ASPIDES, which conducted the rescue operation, emphasized that “these kinds of attacks pose not only a threat against the Freedom of Navigation but also to the seafarers’ lives, and subsequently to the life of all citizens living in that region.”

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have conducted numerous attacks on vessels in the Red Sea region since 2023, targeting ships they claim are linked to Israel in what they describe as solidarity with Palestinians.

This death marks the first fatality from the Houthis’ campaign of aggression toward shipping since the loss of at least four crew members in early July following a drone and missile attack on the Eternity C. Another five sailors are presumed dead. With this latest fatality, the death toll from Houthi attacks on seafarers has now risen to fourteen. 

In response to the attack, the Netherlands has called on the EU to sanction Yemen’s Houthis as a terrorist group.

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