Mystery explosion hits LPG tanker MV Falcon near Aden; 23 Indians rescued, 2 crew member missing

Twenty-three Indians were rescued off the coast of Aden, Yemen, after a fire broke out on an LPG tanker. Reports suggest that the tanker they were onboard, Cameroon-flagged MV Falcon, suffered an explosion on Saturday (Oct 18) at around 7:00 am UTC (local time), following which the crew was forced to abandon ship. The ship, at the time, was sailing about 113 nautical miles southeast of Aden on its way to Djibouti. Early reports suggest that the blast was accidental; however, social media reports suggest that the LPG-loaded tanker may have been hit by an unknown projectile.

What happened?

MV Falcon was sailing about 113 miles (around 181km) southeast of Aden and was on its way to Djibouti when it went adrift after a blast. As per reports, about 15 per cent of the ship was on fire, forcing the crew to abandon the ship, which was loaded with fuel.

Early reports suggest that the fire was accidental; however, the exact cause is still under investigation. British security firm Ambrey, in a statement, said that the MV Falcon was travelling from Oman's Sohar Port to Djibouti when the explosion happened.

Following the explosion, the EU Naval Force Operation Aspides launched a search and rescue (SAR) operation, and of the 24 crew members who had abandoned ship, 23 people, all Indians, were safely rescued. Two crew members, as per ANI, remain missing. One crew member, as per the last report, remains onboard the MV Falcon.

In a statement on X, the Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority said that it “assisted in the rescue operation of the survivors from the Cameroon-flagged vessel MV Falcon.” It added that “Following the incident, 24 crew members managed to abandon the vessel and were rescued by the passing gas carrier MV Meda. Sadly, two crew members remain missing.”

Ships asked to maintain a safe distance

As the MV Falcon is fully loaded with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), Aspides has advised nearby vessels to maintain a safe distance from it. Calling it a "navigational hazard", the EU military operation that was launched in response to Houthi engagements with international shipping in the Red Sea said, "The fire onboard is increasing," adding, "MV Falcon represents a navigational hazard. Everyone in the area must exercise caution."

It added that a private company has taken charge of the salvage operation. The incident happened as the Houthis, a pro-Palestinian rebel group, continued to target commercial vessels passing through the Red Sea corridor.