European maritime sources confirmed that the Dutch cargo ship, which was attacked 128 nautical miles southeast of the port of Aden, southern Yemen, has drifted.

The European mission “EUNAVFOR Atalanta” stated in a series of tweets on its X platform account on Monday evening that the commercial cargo ship (MV MINERVAGRACHT), which caught fire following the attack in the Gulf of Aden, has drifted and is sailing in open waters after its crew lost control.

It added that the general cargo ship flying the Dutch flag did not request protection from the European naval force present in the area.

“EUNAVFOR Atalanta” indicated that it is currently conducting continuous assessment of the situation in coordination with European and regional authorities, adding: “We are ready to facilitate any measures regarding the ship and its crew.”

The European naval force renewed its commitment to “protecting human life at sea and contributing to freedom of navigation on the high seas.”

Initial reports indicated the possibility of two crew members being injured on the 12,200-ton ship, “but recent updates have not mentioned any injuries or fatalities,” according to the European maritime mission.

The French military’s Maritime Information, Cooperation and Awareness Center (MICA Center) had earlier reported that Monday’s attack on the “Minervagracht” ship, owned by the Dutch company “Spliethoff,” was the second within a week. The Houthis had previously targeted it on September 23 with a missile, but the ship was not hit, as the projectile fell about two nautical miles from its location in the Gulf of Aden.

The Houthi group has not claimed responsibility for the attack on the ship so far, but the French MICA Center attributed the incident to the group, stating that “the ship has no connection to Israel, and the reason for the Houthis targeting it twice remains unknown.”

Since 2023, the Houthis have been attacking ships they consider “linked to Israel” while sailing in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.