Oil tanker was coming to India, Houthi fired missile in Yemen’s Red Sea

The US State Department said on Friday that a Panama-flagged tanker carrying crude oil to India was attacked by a missile in the Red Sea. According to the State Department, a missile launched from Yemen hit the M/T Pollux on its port side. Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency and British maritime security firm Embrey said the Panama-flagged tanker was hit 72 nautical miles (133 km) northwest of the port of Mokha, off Yemen. Was. Embrey said the ship…reportedly sustained minor damage. The crew is reported to be safe and secure.

A State Department spokesperson said it was yet another example of unruly attacks on international shipping, which continue despite multiple joint and international statements calling for the Houthis to stop. According to LSEG data, the M/T Pollux departed from Russia’s Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk on January 24 and was scheduled to disembark at Paradip, India, on February 28. Indian Oil Company has a 300,000 barrel per day (bpd) oil refinery at Paradip in eastern Odisha state.

According to LSEG data, the vessel is owned by Oceanfront Maritime Company SA and managed by Sea Trade Marine SA. Representatives for those companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Embrey said another vessel three nautical miles north-east of the M/T Pollux was seen changing course to port, away from the tanker. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have said they will continue attacking Red Sea ships in a show of solidarity with Palestinians as long as Israel continues to commit “crimes” against them.