ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- A Cameroon-flagged oil tanker caught fire in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen's coast on Saturday after being struck by a projectile, a Yemeni official told Xinhua.
A source from Yemen's government coast guard confirmed that all 26 crew members were safely evacuated from the burning vessel.
"The situation is under control, and rescue efforts continue," the source said, adding that an investigation has been launched into the attack.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in a statement on social media platform X that it had received reports of a vessel struck by an unknown projectile about 116 nautical miles east of the Yemeni port city of Aden, which subsequently caught fire.
The Gulf of Aden is a key maritime corridor linking the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. In recent months, the waterway and the neighboring Red Sea have witnessed repeated attacks on commercial shipping, attributed to the Houthis, who say their operations are aimed at pressuring Israel and its allies in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict. ■