U.S. owned bulker Genco Picardy hit by Houthi drone

Photo: Indian Navy

Yesterday, at approximately 8:30 pm (Sanaa time) the U.S. owned bulker, the M/V Genco Picardy was hit by a Houthi drone when 60 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen. Fortunately, no seafarers were injured and the vessel remained seaworthy. Within hours, U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes on 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired in Houthi controlled areas in Yemen.

The Indian Navy destroyer INS Visakhapatnam, deployed in the Gulf of Aden for antipiracy opeeations, responded to the Genco Picardy’s distress call and intercepted the vessel at 00.30 a.m this morning. It confirmed that there were no injuries among the 22 crew, which includes nine Indians and that the fire was under control. Indian Navy EOD specialists inspected and rendered safe the damaged area, clearing the vessel to continue underway.

New York City headquartered Genco Shipping & Trading Limited released the following statement:

“At approximately 20:30 local time today, the M/V Genco Picardy was impacted by an unidentified projectile while transiting through the Gulf of Aden laden with a cargo of phosphate rock.

“All seafarers aboard the vessel are confirmed to be uninjured.

“An initial inspection by the crew indicates that damage to the vessel’s gangway is limited, and the vessel has remained stable and underway on a course out of the area.

“The company and vessel crew have remained in close contact with all relevant authorities.”

The Genco Picardy is the second U.S. owned vessel, and third bulk carrier, to be hit by the Houthis since the January 15 strike on Eagle Bulk’s Gibraltar Eagle, which was followed the next day by a strike on Maltese-flagged, Greek-owned bulker Zografia, operated by Vulcanus Technical Maritime Enterprise.

Both vessels are in categories identified by security experts as being targeted by the Houthis: Gibraltar Eagle is U.S. owned, while the Zografia was headed for Israel.

U.S. STRIKES ON HOUTHI LAUNCHERS

U.S. Central Command says that on “January 17 at approximately 11:59 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes on 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired in Houthi controlled areas in Yemen. These missiles on launch rails an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region and could have been fired at any time, prompting U.S. forces to exercise their inherent right and obligation to defend themselves. These strikes, along with other actions we have taken, will degrade the Houthi’s capabilities to continue their reckless attacks on international and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.”

“The actions by the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists continue to endanger international mariners and disrupt the commercial shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea and adjacent waterways,” said General Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM Commander. “We will continue to take actions to protect the lives of innocent mariners and we will always protect our people.”