SEA INFERNO
Warship rushes to rescue burning Brit oil tanker Marlin Luanda blasted by Iran-backed Houthis in latest shipping strike
Fears are growing that the attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden could lead to spiralling prices
A BURNING British oil tanker was rescued off the coast of Yemen today after it was struck by a Houthi rebel missile on Friday.
Iran-backed Houthi fighters claimed responsibility for the chilling revenge attack on the Marlin Luanda ship, which burst into flames, in the Gulf of Aden.
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Pictures on Friday showed the British-linked oil tanker, which sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands, with a large fire burning on deck - with image taken from the vessel's bridge.
And chilling audio appears to show the moment the ship desperately radioed: "Mayday!".
On Saturday the Indian navy sent out warship INS Visakhapatnam - a guided missile destroyer - to rescue those onboard.
They sent out a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defence (NBCD) team as well as a store of firefighters.
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A statement from the Navy read: "An Indian Navy statement said that it "remains steadfast and committed towards safeguarding MVs and ensuring safety of life at sea"."
According to NBC no injuries have been reported - but the crew disembarked onto lifeboats to be safe.
The blaze was eventually put out after firefighting efforts continued through the night.
Earlier, Trafigura said a fire in the ship's cargo tank had been extinguished with the help of Indian, US and French Navy vessels and all crew were safe.
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"The vessel is now sailing towards a safe harbour. The crew continues to monitor the vessel and cargo closely," a spokesperson said.
"We would like to recognise the exceptional dedication and bravery of the ship's master and crew who managed to control the fire in highly difficult circumstances, as well as the essential assistance provided by Indian, United States and French Navy vessels to achieve this outcome."
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the UK remains "as committed as ever" to protecting freedom of navigation following the strike.
"This intolerable and illegal attack on maritime shipping is the latest on innocent people and global trade," he said on Saturday.
"It is our duty to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and we remain as committed to that cause as ever."
Hours after the strike the US confirmed they had destroyed another Houthi missile launch base in Yemen.
The seas around the wartorn country have turned into a gauntlet of missiles, drones and armed pirates.
Houthi rebels - who receive secret backing from Iran - have vowed to attack ships in response to the ongoing war in Gaza.
Western forces - led by the UK and US - have however stepped up their attacks on them as they work to protect ships.
Yahya Sarea, a Brigadier General of the Yemeni Armed Forces, said the rebels used “a number of appropriate naval missiles" in the destructive blast they say was on a British ship.
"Yemeni naval forces carried out a targeting operation on the British oil ship in the Gulf of Aden using a number of appropriate naval missiles, the strike was direct and resulted the burning of the vessel," he said.
An anti-ship ballistic missile was used in the horror strike, reports CBS.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) initially reported the ship was on fire and emergency boats were on hand to put the fire out.
The shipping security monitoring system said: “UKMTO has received a report of an incident 60NM South East of Aden, Yemen. CSO reports that a vessel has been struck and is currently on fire.
"They are requiring assistance. Authorities have been informed and are responding.”
Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity
UKTMO
The UKTMO said they received a report of the attack around 60 nautical miles south-east of Aden before warning other ships to take extra care in the area.
They said: “Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO."
A spokesperson for the ship's owner Trafigura, which has offices in Britain, said: "Firefighting equipment on board is being deployed to suppress and control the fire caused in one cargo tank on the starboard side."
The Marlin Luanda was reportedly on its way to Singapore.
The Yemeni general continued noting the strike happened "in vindication of the oppressed Palestinian people and in support and solidarity with our brothers in the Gaza Strip".
He then called for a ceasefire in Gaza, and asked for food and medicine to be allowed in to help Palestinian civillians.
It's in the same region as an earlier missile attack that narrowly avoided a ship.
Two missiles exploded in the water near the sea vessel but didn't cause any damage.
This is the latest revenge strike after the US and UK carried out airstrikes on rebel bases earlier on in January.
Houthi rebels have been attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea in retaliation for Israel's continued bombardment of Hamas in the Gaza strip.
Britain’s ships in the Red Sea have come under attack from Houthi rebels who have vowed to inflict economic pain in the West in revenge for the war in Gaza.
On January 11, western forces led by the UK and US obliterated 60 military targets in total under the cover of darkness, weakening the Iran-backed terror proxy in Yemen.
Laser-guided Tomahawk missiles and Paveway bombs, 1,200mph fighter jets, Reaper drones and destroyers were used alongside the RAF planes.
The attack saw the aircraft make their way from Cyprus to Yemen and back in hours, refuelling mid-air as they blitzed the targets.
A second UK-US attack then took place near the capital city Sanaa,
The rising tensions in the Red Sea have led the UK to beef up its defences by upgrading its Sea Viper surface-to-air missile system.
The Houthis warned the strikes "will not go unpunished" after RAF Typhoon jets blasted eight Houthi sites when rebels refused to halt attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
Earlier this week, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to Parliament and said: "We must end the illegal sale of arms to the Houthi militia.
"We are going to use the most effective means at our disposal to cut off financial flows to the Houthis. We will keep all other tools at our disposal under review."
Opposition leader Keir Starmer backed Sunak's decision to use further force against the Houthi rebels.
He said: "We back this targeted action to reinforce maritime security in the Red Sea. We must stand united and strong."
Rishi Sunak's official spokesman said the "strikes have further degraded the Houthis' ability to attack civilian and military ships, endanger lives and disrupt trade in the Red Sea".
Before labelling the strikes as "effective".
The spokesman continued: "The Prime Minister said that we took this action, together with our allies, because we continue to see an ongoing and imminent threat to UK vessels, and those of our partners, with the Houthis' launching about 12 attacks on shipping in the Red Sea in the last 10 days.
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"While we are not seeking a confrontation, we will not hesitate to act in self-defence to protect British lives and interests."
Downing Street said there would be a "general debate" for all MPs on the military intervention.
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Who are the Houthis?
THE Houthi rebels are terrorising vessels in the Red Sea and now their bases were blitzed in US and UK strikes - but who are they?
The Shia militant group, which now controls most of Yemen, spent over a decade being largely ignored by the world.
However, since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war they sprung from relative obscurity to holding roughly £1trillion of world trade hostage - turning one of the world's busiest shipping lanes into an active warzone.
Why are they attacking ships?
The rebel group has been launching relentless drone and missile attacks on any ships they deem to be connected with Israel in solidarity with their ally Hamas.
The sea assaults have threatened to ignite a full-blown war in the Middle East as ripples from Israel's war in Gaza are felt across the region - with Iran suspected of stoking the chaos.
However, there have been frequent attacks on commercial vessels with little or no link to Israel - forcing global sea traffic to halt operations in the region and sending shipping prices soaring.
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea increased 50 per cent between November and December.
Their slogan is “Death to America, Death to Israel, curse the Jews and victory to Islam”.
And the rebel group's leaders have previously pledged the attacks will continue until Israel stops its devastating offensive inside Gaza.
