Tanker Fire in Gulf of Aden Raises Concerns Amid Red Sea Shipping Attacks

A Cameroonian-flagged tanker, the Falcon, caught fire yesterday in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen after a possible projectile strike, leaving at least one mariner missing and another likely still aboard, officials reported.

U.K. and European Union officials have offered differing assessments of the incident’s cause. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center stated, “A vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile, resulting with a fire,” while the EU’s Operation Aspides indicated “initial indications suggest that 15% of the ship is on fire and the fire was caused by an accident.” Both authorities warned that the vessel, fully loaded with liquefied petroleum gas, could explode. The incident occurred approximately 210 kilometers (130 miles) east of Aden.

The Falcon’s crew consisted of 26 Indian nationals and one Ukrainian. Greek and French naval forces responded to the scene, with the Greek frigate HS Spetsai nearby and a French aircraft providing overwatch. The incident occurs as attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea have disrupted global trade routes; before recent conflicts, approximately $1 trillion in goods transited the area annually. The ship was previously identified by United Against Nuclear Iran as potentially operating within an Iranian “ghost fleet” used to circumvent international sanctions.

The Israeli military confirmed awareness of the strike but denied involvement. While Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have claimed responsibility for numerous attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, have not yet claimed responsibility for this incident, they have previously targeted vessels they allege are linked to Israel. For more on the Houthi conflict, see the Council on Foreign Relations’ backgrounder on Yemen.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire and searching for the missing mariner, with officials continuing to monitor the situation and assess the risk of explosion.