The safety of the 22 crewmen on board was guaranteed when a US Navy cruiser promptly responded to the distress signal and successfully captured the ship.
An unstable US Navy situation in the Gulf of Aden has come to light once again following a distress call from a seized tanker off the coast of Yemen.
The tanker, identified as the Liberian-flagged Central Park and linked to Israel, fell victim to attackers in a suspected piracy incident. The vessel, managed by Zodiac Maritime, was carrying a multinational crew and a valuable cargo of phosphoric acid.
This intervention comes amidst a series of alarming maritime attacks in the region, escalating concerns over the safety of commercial vessels navigating these waters.
Zodiac Maritime, a part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group, expressed utmost concern for the safety of its crew and the vessel. The incident marked yet another episode in the ongoing shadow conflict between Iran and Israel, raising suspicions about potential perpetrators behind the attack.
The exact identity of the assailants remains unknown, causing a ripple of uncertainty in an area theoretically controlled by forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
US Navy Faces Heightened Hazards
While Somali pirates traditionally do not operate in this specific region, the attack signifies a breach of security in these seemingly controlled waters.
Reports indicate the attackers attempted to hijack the tanker, but the crew’s swift action, including securing themselves in the ship’s safe room, thwarted the assailants’ efforts.
Though the attackers failed to breach the secure area, the incident has sparked renewed apprehension among maritime authorities and operators regarding the safety of vessels transiting through these waters.
This alarming event echoes a similar incident in 2021 when an Iranian-linked drone attack claimed the lives of two crew members aboard Zodiac’s oil tanker Mercer Street.
The US Navy faces increasing hazards and tensions when crossing these turbulent waters, as seen by the recurrent targeting of Zodiac Maritime vessels.
As investigations continue to unravel the motives and identity of the attackers, this latest
incident reinforces the urgent need for heightened security measures and international cooperation to ensure the safety of maritime trade routes in this strategically significant region.
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