A Cameroon-flagged LPG carrier, Falcon, issued a distress call after an explosion triggered a fire on board while transiting approximately 130 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen. The vessel, built in 1994 with a deadweight of 30,761 tons, was reportedly sailing from Khor Al Zubair, Iraq or possibly Oman en route to Djibouti. Following the incident, the tanker was abandoned and left drifting, with around 15 percent of the ship reported to be on fire.

According to initial information, the vessel carried 26 crew members 25 Indian nationals and one Ukrainian. Twenty-four crew members were rescued by nearby commercial ships. One crew member remains missing, while another is believed to still be on board.

The ship’s security officer reported that the explosion may have been caused by an external projectile. However, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has stated that the cause remains unconfirmed and that an onboard accident has not been ruled out. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the incident, it has been reclassified from a security alert to an advisory while investigations continue.

Naval forces under the EU-led Operation EUNAVFOR Aspides deployed a Greek frigate and French aerial assets to monitor the situation and assist in the response. Maritime authorities have urged vessels transiting the region to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.

The Gulf of Aden remains a critical yet high-risk shipping corridor, and this incident underscores the ongoing security and safety challenges faced by vessels navigating through the area.