Marlin Luanda: Oil tanker on fire for hours following Houthi attack | BBC News

Summary

An oil tanker with links to the UK was struck by a Houthi missile off Yemen, causing a fire onboard. The Indian, US and French navies helped put out the fire and rescue the crew. The Houthis claimed responsibility, calling it retaliation for American and British aggression. Experts say the attack shows the Houthis expanding geographically and using more advanced missiles. The UK said it reserves the right to respond appropriately to the incident, which follows recent US and UK strikes on Houthi targets after attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

Takeaways

• 😨 Fire onboard oil tanker Marlin Luanda put out after being struck by Houthi missile off Yemen coast
• 👍 All crew now safe after fire extinguished thanks to help from Indian, US and French navies
• 💥 Houthis say attack in response to 'US-British aggression' and to support Palestinians
• 🚢 Tanker was sailing from Greece to Singapore with Russian oil when struck
• ⚠️ Attack shows Houthis expanding attacks from Red Sea to Gulf of Aden using missiles
• 🛳 Busy shipping lane threatened by Houthi attacks, with help from Iran
• 😠 Houthis orchestrating rallies, relishing confrontation with West
• 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 US and UK struck Houthi targets in Yemen 2 weeks ago to deter attacks
• 🤔 Strategy of deterrence does not appear to be working so far
• 🔥 Danger that attacks could escalate further as Houthis grow bolder

Q & A

What ship was attacked by the Houthis?

The Marlin Luanda, an oil tanker carrying Russian oil from Greece to Singapore.

Where did the attack on the Marlin Luanda take place?

In the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen.

Why did the Houthis claim they attacked the ship?

They said it was in response to what they called 'American British aggression' and to support Palestinians in Gaza.

What help did the ship receive?

The Indian, US and French navies provided assistance to put out the fire and rescue the crew.

What was the condition of the crew after the attack?

The operator of the ship confirmed that all crew members were safe after the fire was extinguished.

Where is the ship headed now?

The ship is sailing towards a safe harbor, with the crew continuing to monitor the vessel and cargo closely.

How does this attack compare to previous ones by the Houthis?

It shows they are becoming bolder - expanding geographically from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, and technologically by using ballistic missiles rather than just drones.

How are the Houthis able to conduct these attacks?

They are getting help from Iran, which is smuggling weapons parts into Yemen including for ballistic and anti-ship missiles.

Has the US/UK strategy to deter Houthi attacks worked so far?

No, their air strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen do not appear to have deterred further attacks on shipping.

Why do analysts think the Houthis are escalating attacks?

To bolster domestic support in Yemen, where huge rallies are held to celebrate confrontation with the West.

Outlines

00:00

😟 Fire extinguished on UK-linked oil tanker struck by missile off Yemen coast

A fire on board an oil tanker with links to the UK has been extinguished after it was struck by a Houthi missile off the coast of Yemen. The ship, the Marlin Luanda, was targeted on Friday in response to alleged American-British aggression. The ship's operator confirmed all crew are safe and thanked the Indian, US and French navies for assistance. The UK government says it reserves the right to respond appropriately to the incident, which follows recent US and UK air strikes on Houthi targets.

😠 Houthis escalating attacks on ships in Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to gain support

Experts say the Houthis are using expanded attacks on ships to bolster domestic support. They are attacking targets across a wider area, using more advanced missiles, with help from Iran. So far Western strikes aimed at deterring Houthi aggression have not been effective. The UK-linked Marlin Luanda, carrying Russian oil, is the latest civilian ship to be targeted.

😊 Company praises bravery of crew in controlling fire on attacked oil tanker

The operator of the attacked Marlin Luanda tanker, Trafigura, has released a new statement praising the exceptional bravery of the captain and crew in controlling the fire amid extremely difficult circumstances. The company thanked the Indian, US and French navies for their essential assistance in responding to the incident.

Keywords

💡oil tanker

An oil tanker is a large ship used to transport oil across oceans. The video discusses an oil tanker called the Marlin Luanda which was transporting oil and was attacked by Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen. This shows that oil tankers are targets for attacks in conflict zones.

💡Houthi

The Houthis are a rebel group in Yemen fighting against the internationally recognized government. They have ties to Iran and have launched attacks on oil tankers and other ships, likely to disrupt commercial shipping. The video discusses a Houthi missile attack on the oil tanker Marlin Luanda.

💡Yemen conflict

There is an ongoing civil war in Yemen between Houthi rebels and the government. External powers like Saudi Arabia and Iran are also involved. Attacks on ships by the Houthis are part of this larger geopolitical conflict impacting global oil supplies.

💡shipping lanes

The area off Yemen near the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden is one of the busiest global shipping lanes for oil and commercial vessels. Attacks in this crucial region can severely impact global trade and oil prices.

💡retaliatory strikes

The UK and US have carried out airstrikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen in retaliation for Houthi attacks on oil tankers. However, this strategy does not seem to be working yet in deterring future attacks.

💡Iranian support

The video mentions that Iran is providing weapons support to the Houthi rebels. So the conflict also reflects larger geopolitical tensions between Iran and Western powers.

💡environmental impact

An attack on an oil tanker raises the risk of massive oil spills and environmental damage, especially given the fire on board the Marlin Luanda tanker.

💡international assistance

The video discusses naval forces from India, France and the US helping to put out the fire on the Marlin Luanda tanker. This shows cooperation to mitigate disasters.

💡commercial shipping

The Marlin Luanda tanker is operated by a commercial shipping company moving oil cargo to Singapore. Attacks impact this crucial commercial maritime activity.

💡geopolitical tensions

The attacks in the shipping lanes off Yemen reflect larger regional tensions between Iran and its allies like the Houthis on one side, and Western powers like the US and UK on the other.

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Transcripts

fire on board an oil tanker which has

links to the UK has been put out today

after it was struck by a houthi missile

off the coast of Yemen these pictures

show that fire on board the Marlon

Luanda the HEI said it was targeted on

Friday in response to what they called

American British aggression the operator

of the ship trafigura paid Tribute to

The Bravery of the captain and crew and

thanked the Indian us and French navies

for their help in a statement the

company said we are pleased to conf

confirmed that all of the crew on board

the Marlin leanda are now safe and the

fire in the cargo tank has been fully

extinguished the vessel is now sailing

towards a safe harbor the crew continues

to monitor the vessel and cargo closely

well this latest incident follows us and

UK air strikes on hthy Targets in

response to attacks on ships in the Red

Sea region one of the world's busiest

shipping lanes the UK government says it

reserves the right to respond

appropriately our diplomatic

correspondent Paul Adams has more this

is the Marlin leanda carrying Russian

oil from Greece to Singapore the latest

houthi

Target the houthis were quick to take

credit their spokesman saying once again

that this was being done to support the

Palestinians in Gaza and in response to

what he described as American British

aggression it's been two weeks since

Britain and the US first hit back

striking military targets inside Yemen

aiming to deter the houthis so far the

strategy doesn't appear to be working so

the attack on the Marlin Luanda in the

Gulf of Aiden signify a great extension

and escalation from the Red Sea to the

Gulf of Aiden so geographical extension

and also with the type of weapons the

missile used yesterday was a ballistic

missile and the houthi started their

attacks in the Red Sea using drones uh

so we're seeing a technological

expansion and a geographical extension

the houthis are using the attacks to

bolster support at home orchestrating

huge rallies on the streets of the

capital SAA relishing this confrontation

with the West something they've thought

about and planned for for years they're

being helped by Iran when US Navy Seals

seized a DA off the coast of Somalia

earlier this month they found parts of

ballistic and anti-ship cruise missiles

diplomats say weapons are also being

smuggled through Oman

the Marlin leanda is operated by a UK

registered company here a government

spokesman said Britain and its allies

reserved the right to respond Paul Adams

BBC News well let's hear a bit more from

Paul Adams with the very latest

developments on that story The

multinational company traag gura which

is based in Singapore which has been

putting out statements on the condition

of the vessel the Marin Randa uh just a

short time ago put out its latest

bulletin and I'll just quote to you from

that they say that we are pleased to

confirm that all the crew on board the

mar and Wanda are safe and that the fire

in the cargo tank has been fully

extinguished that was a fire that was

raging really throughout the night and I

think uh was a cause of grave concern to

the ship's owners uh bearing in mind of

course that this was a ship carrying oil

products and so the the possibility of a

fire spreading was a very real one the

vessel is now sailing towards what is

described as a Safe Harbor and the crew

is continuing to monitor the vessel and

the cargo closely the statement from

traag Gora also complements the role

played by the Navies of India the United

States and France all of whom sent

vessels to assist in the uh the the

situation with the the tanker uh and in

fact some of the images that we have

seen uh of the tanker today were filmed

from the Indian vessel that approached

uh to offer assistance so uh traag gura

says we would like to recognize the

exceptional dedication and bravery of

the ship's master and crew who managed

to control the fire in what the uh

company describes as extremely highly

difficult circumstances as well as the

essential assistance provided by India

the United States and French navies so

this was clearly a serious attack uh it

was an attack not in the Red Sea but in

the Gulf of Aiden uh which not the first

time that's happened but there are

indications uh that the houes are

becoming Bolder they are attacking

Targets in a wider area uh and that so

far the strategy of the west of the

United States and Britain in particular

to attack uh houthi military targets

inside Yemen in an effort to deter the

houthis from conducting this these

attacks on shipping that strategy so far

uh has yet to bear fruit