Crew of Yemeni vessel recount their chaotic rescue after Houthis' deadly attack

Indonesian crew member Muhammad Alteno received medical treatment after the attack. Crew members described a second missile striking the ship while rescue efforts were ongoing, causing more chaos and casualties. Three missiles hit the vessel, killing six people and injuring at least nine others, according to Yemeni authorities. The attack occurred in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, off Yemen’s coast, as the ship was entering port. Crew members, including Zaheer Ahmed (Pakistani) and Alteno, described intense fire, panic, and damage aboard the ship. Alteno witnessed a friend die and tried to rescue him but was unable to due to intense flames. Two Yemenite government-allied soldiers and three Pakistani crew members were killed in the attack. The Houthis, backed by Iran, have escalated attacks on government forces and civilians in Mokha and other areas. They have also targeted Saudi Arabia’s troops and oil facilities. The attacks risk reigniting Yemen’s civil war, following a 2022 U.N.-brokered truce. The Houthis declared a blockade on Saudi-linked ships, citing a long-standing Saudi siege on Yemen and recent attacks on Sanaa. This blockade mirrors previous ones during the Gaza war, where over 100 vessels were attacked before U.S. and Israeli airstrikes halted them in early 2025.