The US Central Command (Centcom) has released more details about the Houthi strike on the Ukrainian-owned cargo ship Verbena that took place in the Gulf of Aden on June 13. The attack, carried out by the Yemeni group Ansar Allah, caused damage to the Verbena, which was en route from Malaysia to Italy with wooden building materials. A fire broke out on board and one sailor was seriously injured, prompting an evacuation by a helicopter from the American cruiser USS Philippine Sea.
Interestingly, Centcom reported that not only did Ansar Allah carry out the attack but also ignored a distress signal from another Iranian frigate IRIN Jamaran that was just eight nautical miles away during the incident.
Centcom also added that the crew of the Anna Meta, another ship flagged under Palau and managed by Poland, assisted in the evacuation of Verbena sailors. Despite this assistance, there were still significant challenges in rescuing everyone on board due to rough seas and limited visibility.
The Verbena is now being held captive by Ansar Allah and its fate remains uncertain.
