Vessel attacked off Yemen's Aden, crew safe: UKMTO

ADEN, Yemen, June 17 (Xinhua) -- A vessel came under attack by armed assailants northeast of Yemen's southern port city of Aden, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Wednesday.

In a statement on social media platform X, UKMTO said the incident occurred about 105 nautical miles northeast of Aden.

Two skiffs carrying armed individuals approached a vessel to within 4 meters and opened fire. The vessel's onboard security team returned fire, prompting the skiffs to disengage and move more than 4 nautical miles away, UKMTO said, adding that the crew members are safe.

The waters off Yemen, particularly in the Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea, are among the world's most strategically important shipping routes.

The region has witnessed repeated maritime security incidents in recent months, prompting international naval forces to maintain a heightened security presence. Enditem