UK maritime authority reports explosion near vessel in Red Sea

ISTANBUL

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an explosion near a vessel in the Red Sea on Tuesday.

The authority said that it received reports of a splash and the sound of an explosion in the vicinity of the vessel, east of Yemen’s Aden.

It added that no casualties or damage were reported, as the incident remains under investigation.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.

Yemen’s Houthi group has been targeting Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in a show of solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where more than 65,300 people have been killed in a brutal Israeli assault since October 2023.

The UKMTO, which operates under the Royal Navy's Maritime Trade Information Centre, plays a central role in coordinating communication between merchant vessels and military forces in high-risk maritime regions.