Bulk Carrier Magic Seas Attacked Off Yemeni Coast

On July 6th, the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Magic Seas came under a violent attack involving gunfire and missile strikes about 51 nautical miles southwest of Al Hudaydah, Yemen. The assault is part of an ongoing pattern of maritime threats that have plagued the Red Sea region since April.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the attack began around 11:25 UTC when several small boats approached the vessel and opened fire, also launching self-propelled grenades. The ship’s private security team responded by returning fire in an effort to fend off the aggressors.

Hours later, at 14:01 UTC, the vessel was hit by unknown projectiles, which caused both a fire and serious flooding on board. As the situation worsened, the crew was forced to evacuate the ship at approximately 15:45 UTC. By 19:00 UTC, UKMTO confirmed that all crew members had been rescued by a nearby merchant vessel, with no reported injuries.

No group has officially taken responsibility for the attack, but maritime analysts suggest it bears the hallmarks of a Houthi-led operation.