All 19 crew members of Spliethoff’s vessel Minervagracht have been safely evacuated to nearby vessels after the ship was hit by an unknown explosive device in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden on Monday (September 29).
Spliethoff confirmed that its general cargo vessel Minervagracht was on passage in the Gulf of Aden when it was attacked by the unknown explosive device. Two of the crew have sustained injuries and are receiving medical attention onboard nearby vessels. The extent of their injuries is as yet unknown.
Minervagracht has sustained considerable damage and is experiencing a fire. The vessel was sailing eastbound from Djibouti at the time of the incident and is not carrying any cargo.
The company said: ”Spliethoff would again like to express its deepest concern over the current events and continues to provide support to the involved seafarers and their families at this extremely difficult time. The company would like to thank the crew of the nearby vessels for their swift assistance during the rescue operation.”
Spliethoff is engaging with international authorities and specialists to safeguard and secure the vessel.
