The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), dependent on the British Navy, reported this Wednesday an "incident" registered in waters near Yemen, in which there was an "exchange of fire" between a cargo ship and a boat with six occupants that approached the vessel. For the moment, no further details have emerged about what happened.
As the agency explained in a statement, the episode was registered about 88 nautical miles, approximately 163 kilometers, southwest of Balhaf, on the Yemeni coast. In its note, it specified that "a cargo ship reported an approach by a boat with six armed people on board."
"An exchange of fire occurred between the vessel and the armed security team of the cargo ship, causing the boat to move away," stated the UKMTO, which added that the incident is under investigation. Likewise, it urged ships transiting the area to "navigate with caution and report any suspicious activity" while the circumstances of the event are clarified.