Denmark said on Dec 31 that the attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on the 'Maersk Hangzhou',, owned by Danish company Maersk, was “completely unacceptable.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs quoted Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen as saying that “the unprovoked attack against a Maersk ship is completely unacceptable. Unfortunately underlines the severe situation in the Red Sea. This is why we wish to send a frigate to the area to help ward off similar attacks." Denmark will submit a resolution to parliament in Jan 2024 to contribute to the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian with a frigate that can be deployed from the end of the month, Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said. Operation Prosperity Guardian is a defensive coalition of more than 20 nations to ensure billions of dollars’ worth of commerce can flow freely through a vital shipping chokepoint in Red Sea waters off Yemen. The US said that it fired “in self-defense” and sunk three of four Houthi boats, killing their crews. On Dec. 31 at 6:30 a.m. (Sanaa time) the container ship had issued a second distress call in less than 24 hours reporting being under attack by four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats, originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. They fired crew-served and small arms weapons at the ship, getting to within 20 meters of the vessel, and attempted to board the vessel. A security team aboard the container ship engaged in fire, and in response to a distress call, US helicopters from the USS 'Eisenhower (CVN 69)' and USS 'Gravely (DDG 107)' were also dispatched. After being warned verbally, people in the small boats opened fire on the US helicopters. The US Navy helicopters returned fire in self-defense, sinking three of the four small boats and killing the crews. The fourth boat fled the area. No damage to US personnel and equipment was reported.
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GALAXY LEADER
Yemen's Houthis are planning to celebrate their junior national football team's victory on the 'Galaxy Leader', following a win against Saudi Arabia. Yemen's Al-Ahmar Al-Yamani team won on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia at the final of the West Asian Federation Junior Championship in Oman. Mohamed Ali al-Houthi, member of the Supreme Political Council and former head of Yemen’s Houthi Supreme Revolutionary Committee, announced that the Houthi-run Ministry of Youth and Sports was preparing to celebrate upon the team's return aboard the hijacked ship with raised Yemeni and Palestinian flags. The ship, moored at Hodeidah, has been a tourist destination for thousands of people from several Yemeni provinces. Report with photo: https://www.newarab.com/news/yemens-houthis-celebrate-football-win-aboard-seized-ship
GALAXY LEADER
The Galaxy Maritime Ltd., the registered owners of the 'Galaxy Leader', were encouraged by reports from the Philippines that the release of their 17 seafarers held by the Houthis was imminent. The owners and ship managers had been hoping to secure the release of the crew members in time for return to their families for the Christmas holiday. ?Despite all efforts and those of all the authorities represented by crew members from Bulgaria, Mexico, Romania, Ukraine, and the Philippines, the seafarers remained in the hands of the hijackers. Given the considerable costs of repatriation of the 25 seafarers, the owners were committed to meeting the expenses associated with repatriation and supporting any operational issues.
RUEN
The assistant captain of the captured ‘Ruen’ was en route back to Bulgaria on Dec 22. After he was injured by the pirates, he was evacuated from the ship with the aid of the Indian Navy. He was then transferred to a warship and moved to Oman for medical treatment. The remaining crew of Bulgarian sailors on the ‘Ruen’ were reported to be in good health.
MAERSK HANGZHOU
The United States military has sunk three outhi boats waging an attack on the ' Maersk Hangzhou' in the Red Sea as it continued its patrol mission to counter threats from Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Helicopters from two US warships – the USS 'Eisenhower' and USS 'Gravely' – shot at the Iranian-backed small boats in self-defence in the morning of Dec 31, 2023, while responding to a distress call from the 'Maersk Hangzhou'. The US helicopters sunk three of the boats, killing several of their crew. A fourth boat escaped.The 'Maersk Hangzhou' issued its distress call after it was fired at by the Houthi boats, which came as close as 20 metres and also tried to board ir. As the US helicopters responded, they were also shot at by the Houthi boats, prompting them to return fire. It was the second alleged Houthi attack on the 'Maersk Hangzhou' in less than 24 hours. Late in the night of Dec 30, CENTCOM shot down two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis as it responded to a separate missile strike on the'Maersk Hangzhou'. In the wake of the attacks, Maersk was suspending its operations in the Red Sea for 48 hours, highlighting the continued threat to commercial vessels in the region.