The 49-year-old Comoros-flagged livestock carrier Merinos Livestock was approached today by a wooden boat approximately 35 nautical miles south-southwest of Hodeidah, Yemen, according to maritime security specialist Vanguard Tech.
The captain reported that the small boat opened fire and instructed them to proceed to Mokha, Vanguard Tech related in an alert sent to clients.
The vessel then undertook a 180-degree turn and appears to be tracking towards Mokha. The vessel, previously called Bossaso, had a stated destination of Jeddah. The vessel was planning to transit east of Hanish islands outside the established maritime security transit corridor, which may have been the cause of the interaction.
Like the Magic Seas and Eternity C – two bulk carriers attacked by the Houthis earlier this month – the Merinos Livestock is Greek-managed.
Human Rights Watch said yesterday the deadly attacks on the two bulk carriers are violations of the laws of war, amounting to war crimes.
“Commanders who willfully order or carry out these unlawful attacks, mistreat detainees, or are liable as a matter of command responsibility, are responsible for war crimes,” the NGO stated in a release.