Two Filipino nationals among three killed in Houthi missile attack in Gulf of Aden
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Two of the three people killed in a missile attack on a bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden have been identified as Filipino nationals, the country'sDepartment of Migrant Workers confirmed on Thursday (Mar 7).
A missile from Yemen on Wednesday hit a bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden which killed three people and injured four others.
Wednesday's incident marked the first time when fatalities due to Houthi attacks in either the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden claimed lives.
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The attack, a fallout of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza,adds a deadly dimension to the disruptions on a vital maritime route that connects West Asia with Europe.
The ship that came under attack was identified as Barbados-flagged True Confidence. It was hit in the Gulf of Aden at about 11:30 (GMT), according to the US military. The ship wasabandoned and had been drifting with a fire on board after the strike.
"These reckless attacks by the Houthis have disrupted global trade and taken the lives of international seafarers," US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees operations in West Asia.
In a statement, Houthis said that the True Confidence's crew had ignored warnings from Houthi naval forces.
The vessel reportedly had a crew of 20, comprising one Indian, four Vietnamese and 15 Filipino nationals.
According to the BBC, three armed guards - two from Sri Lanka and one from Nepal - were also on board.
The attack reportedly took place about 50 nautical miles (93km) south-west of the Yemeni city of Aden, according to an official statement by ship's owners and managers.
Following the attack,two US-led air strikes reportedly targeted the international airport in the Houthi-controlled Red Sea port city of Hudaydah.
The naval vessels from a US-led international maritime coalition were supporting the ship and its crew.
The Houthis claimed the True Confidence was an "American ship". But there emerged "no current connection with any US entity".
A US State Department spokespersonMatthew Miller said: "The Houthis have continued to launch these reckless attacks with no regard for the well-being of innocent civilians who are transiting through the Red Sea and now they have unfortunately and tragically killed innocent civilians."
(With inputs from agencies)