Greek ship attacked in Red Sea by Houthis arrives in Aden with cargo

People walk past a graffiti, depicting a Houthi fighter stopping an Israeli ship off the coast of Yemen, painted on a wall of the Saudi embassy in Sanaa, Yemen February 15, 2024

The Greek-flagged bulker Sea Champion arrived in the southern Yemeni port of Aden on Tuesday after being attacked in the Red Sea in what appeared to have been a mistaken missile strike by the Houthi militia, sources said.

Shipping risks are escalating due to repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait by the Iran-aligned Houthis since November. US and British forces have responded with several attacks on Houthi facilities but have so far failed to halt the attacks.

The Sea Champion, which was taking grain from Argentina to Aden, the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, was attacked twice on Monday, with a window damaged but no crew injuries, Greek shipping ministry sources said.

A port source in Aden and a separate shipping source said the vessel was discharging part of its cargo of some 9,229 tonnes in Aden before heading to the northern port of Hodeidah, an area controlled by the Houthis.

Yemeni army soldiers patrol a street in Mansoura district of Yemen’s southern port city of Aden March 30, 2016. (credit: FAWAZ SALMAN/REUTERS)

Yemeni army soldiers patrol a street in Mansoura district of Yemen’s southern port city of Aden March 30, 2016. (credit: FAWAZ SALMAN/REUTERS)

Unintentional attack

The port source in Aden, who declined to be identified, said the attack on the vessel was a mistake. A separate port source in Hodeidah, who also declined to be identified, said the Houthis informed them the attack was not intentional.

Houthi officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

The vessel’s Athens-based operator Mega Shipping and Greek shipping ministry officials declined to comment on the vessel’s arrival.

The Sea Champion was anchored in Aden port with its last position updated at 12:11 GMT, according to data from ship tracking and maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic.

The Houthis, who control Yemen’s most populous regions, have attacked vessels with commercial ties to the United States, Britain, and Israel, shipping and insurance sources say.