A tanker operated by Trafigura Group caught fire in the Red Sea following an attack by Houthi forces, according to Bloomberg reports.
The incident involved the cargo area on the starboard side of the vessel. Firefighting equipment on board was deployed to combat the blaze and to facilitate any necessary rescue or containment operations. Officials noted that the tanker was transporting Russian-origin fuel at the time of the attack.
Company representatives said they were in close contact with the crew and were actively monitoring developments. Regional naval forces had already dispatched warships to offer assistance and safeguard the area as a precautionary measure.
Earlier reports indicated that another Houthi attack had targeted a British-flagged product tanker named Marlin near Luanda. The vessel was reported to be on fire, with anti-Houthi coalition ships hastening to provide support.
Initial information about the Marlin incident, which occurred off Yemen’s coast on a Thursday, January 27, originated from the American trade publication Maritime Executive, which first published the details to industry readers.
Earlier statements from Houthi networks suggested they intended to disrupt merchant shipping in the Red Sea at roughly 12-hour intervals, highlighting the ongoing volatility in regional sea lanes and the heightened risk to international shipping routes that rely on this corridor.