Eagle Bulk vessel struck by Houthi missile
Gibraltar Eagle hit by anti-ship ballistic missile, Centcom says, but ship reported no injuries or significant damage
Houthis remain undeterred from US and UK strikes as US-owned and Marshall Islands-flagged bulker is hit with a missile. The Eagle Bulk vessel reported no injuries or significant damage and is continuing its journey, according to Centcom
A US-owned bulker has been hit by a Houthi missile in the Gulf of Aden as the militants appear unfazed by the recent US and UK airstrikes on Yemen.
US Central Command identified the vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged Gibraltar Eagle (IMO: 9702508), a 2015-built ultramax owned by New York-listed and Stamford-headquartered Eagle Bulk Shipping.
Lloyd’s List Intelligence Automatic Identification System data shows Gibraltar Eagle sailing west through the Gulf of Aden before abruptly changing direction near the incident’s reported location around 1330 hrs local time. It stopped broadcasting AIS about two and half hours later.
Eagle Bulk said in a statement the ship was hit by an unidentified projectile about 100 miles offshore in the Gulf of Aden.
“The vessel suffered limited damage to a cargo hold but is stable and is heading out of the area,” the company said, adding no seafarers were injured.
The vessel is carrying a cargo of steel products.
Eagle Bulk said management “is in close contact with all relevant authorities concerning this matter”.
The Stamford owner took delivery of the 2015-built “high-specification” ultramax Gibraltar Eagle, previously Stony Stream, in the first quarter of last year for $24.3m.
According to the UKMTO report, which did not identify the vessel, an incident took place at 1605 hrs local time (1305 hrs UTC) about 95 nautical miles southeast of Aden. A master reported the vessel’s port side was hit from above by a missile.
The other vessels that were nearby at the time are continuing on their voyages. One ship, bulk carrier Lucky Alisa (IMO: 9254525) is using AIS to communicate that all crew on board are from China.
Vessels have been transmitting messages such as “no contact with Israel” to deter Houthi attacks.
Earlier today at around 1400 hrs, an anti-ship ballistic missile was fired towards commercial vessels in the southern Red Sea, according to Centcom.
“The missile failed in flight and impacted on land in Yemen. There were no injuries or damage reported,” Centcom said on X, formerly Twitter.
The Monday attack comes a day after a US fighter shot down a missile aimed at USS Laboon, and after a follow-up strike by the US on a Houthi radar site.
Reports said the US barrage of strikes on Thursday night destroyed about 30 sites, but added US officials estimate the Houthis retained three quarters of their ability to attack ships.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the House of Commons on Monday that the British strikes had destroyed 13 targets. There was no evidence of civilian casualties, he said.
Sunak said the Iran-backed Houthis have launched over 25 attacks “illegal and unacceptable” attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea since November 19.
The Houthis also fired on American and British warships on January 9.
“They fired on our ships and our sailors,” Sunak said.
“It was the biggest attack on the Royal Navy for decades. And so we acted.”