The MV Falcon gas carrier on fire off the coast of Yemen. EU mission warns of further outbreaks

The MV Falcon gas carrier is burning off the coast of Yemen, near the port of Aden, and for unknown reasons it exploded on Saturday, the EU Aspides maritime mission reported. The ship is fully loaded with LNG. The mission warned of the risk of further explosions, Reuters reported.

One sailor is missing, one remains on board, the rest were picked up by other ships. Aspides reported that a Greek frigate had been sent to the area of ​​the incident.

After the explosion, the MV Falcon went adrift. Due to the risk of further explosions, the mission advised ships in the area to maintain a safe distance from the vessel.

The Cameroonian-flagged MV Falcon was sailing from the port of Suhar in Oman to Djibouti with a cargo of liquefied natural gas, British maritime safety company Ambrey said earlier. The explosion occurred when the ship was 113 nautical miles southeast of Aden.

It is not known what the cause of the explosion was. Maritime security sources said no missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles were detected in the area. Ambrey also stated that the gas carrier does not resemble the profile of targets that have been attacked for two years by Yemen's Houthi rebels allied with Iran. The rebel-owned Saba news agency said they had no connection with Saturday's incident.

The rebels have been shelling civilian units since the terrorist organization Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, claiming it was an expression of their support for the Palestinians. As a result, the flow of goods through one of the busiest shipping routes in the world – the Red Sea and the Suez Canal – was disrupted. (PAP)

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