An international rescue mission successfully evacuated all 19 crew members of the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht after it was attacked in the Gulf of Aden and left adrift and burning. The incident took place about 123 miles southeast of Aden on Monday.

The EU naval mission EUNAVFOR Aspides coordinated the operation, which involved warships and rescue helicopters. Ten crew members were taken aboard the Greek frigate HS Spetsai, and eight others were transferred to a French frigate.

The crew members were from Russia, Ukraine, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. There were no Dutch nationals among them, according to the vessel’s owner, Spliethoff.

Two crew members were injured in the attack. One sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to Djibouti for urgent medical treatment, while another was treated and reported to be in stable condition.

Spliethoff reported that the Minervagracht suffered “considerable damage” and was “experiencing a fire.” At the time of the incident, the ship was sailing eastbound from Djibouti and was not carrying cargo. The vessel remains adrift in the Gulf of Aden, with Aspides warning that it continues to pose a hazard to navigation.

Third Update on MV MINERVAGRACHT (September 30th, 2025)

Video documenting the Search and Rescue (SAR) operation, which EUNAVFOR ASPIDES successfully concluded.@eu_eeas @ItalianNavy @MarineNationale @NavyGR pic.twitter.com/lxNMr9BHcA

— EUNAVFOR ASPIDES (@EUNAVFORASPIDES) September 30, 2025

Video Credits: EUNAVFOR ASPIDES/X

The Houthis have released a statement on September 30 claiming the vessel was targeted because the owner was allegedly sending ships to Israel, which they said violated their ban on such shipping.

This was the second attack on the Minervagracht in less than a week. On September 23, the Maritime Information, Cooperation and Awareness Center reported that the vessel was struck when it was about 120 nautical miles east of Aden. That report confirmed the ship had no links to Israel.

Spliethoff said it is working with international authorities and specialists to safeguard and secure the damaged vessel.

The Houthis have repeatedly targeted international shipping in recent months, with most attacks directed at Israel. They claim to enforce a blockade on all shipping associated with Israel. Before this latest incident, they had not claimed attacks on merchant vessels since early September, except for incidents in July when they sank two bulk carriers in the Red Sea.

The Gulf of Aden remains a high-risk area for shipping, with threats from armed attacks and missile strikes, as well as past incidents of Somali piracy. International forces such as EUNAVFOR Aspides continue to monitor the area and carry out rescue operations when needed.

Reference: NL Times

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