Philippine sailor killed in Houthi missile attack on Dutch cargo ship
One of the Filipino crew members died following the missile attack launched by Houthi rebels last week on the Dutch cargo ship MV Minervagracht in the Gulf of Aden. The shipping company Spliethoff, based in Amsterdam, confirmed the sailor's death on Tuesday, stating that he succumbed to his injuries sustained during the attack.
The ship was hit by a missile while sailing about 200 kilometers from the coastal city of Aden in Yemen. The explosion caused a massive fire on board, causing it to drift at sea for several days before being towed to safety. The ship sustained significant damage to its hull due to the explosion and the fire.
At the time of the attack, there were 19 crew members on board the ship, two of whom were seriously injured and airlifted to Djibouti for urgent medical treatment. According to Spliethoff, one of them is still in the hospital, but is expected to recover and return to his country later this week, while most of the other crew members have been repatriated.
The Houthi group, a Shiite rebel movement based in Yemen, claimed responsibility for the attack, alleging that the ship Minervagracht had docked at Israeli ports. The group stated that this was the reason for targeting it with a guided missile. For its part, the Dutch government urged the European Union to include the Houthis on the list of terrorist organizations.
The interim Foreign Minister Van Wil called on EU countries to impose further sanctions on the group, describing it as a "serious threat to freedom of navigation." The company Spliethoff did not confirm the Houthis' claims regarding the ship's visit to Israeli ports, emphasizing that the ship was sailing in international waters where navigation is permitted under international law.
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, the Houthis have launched about 100 attacks on ships they claim are linked to Israel, sinking at least four of them. This latest attack confirms the increasing threat to international shipping routes in the region.