In a third such incident against the backdrop of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, attackers captured a tanker, associated with Israel, off the Yemeni coast on Sunday (Nov 26). The Liberian-flagged Central Park, managed by Zodiac Maritime, was seized in the Gulf of Aden. No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the incident.
Zodiac Maritime referred to the incident as a “suspected piracy incident,” and said that the safety of the multinational crew on board, comprising 22 individuals, including from Russia, Vietnam, Bulgaria, India, Georgia, and the Philippines was priority.
The Turkish-captained vessel is carrying a full cargo of phosphoric acid. London-based Zodiac Maritime is part of the Zodiac Group owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer.
The exact perpetrators remain unclear and Aden, where the attack occurred, is said to be controlled by forces allied with Yemen’s internationally sed government and a Saudi-led coalition.
A US defense official reportedly said that an “unknown number of unidentified armed individuals” carried out the seizure. Private intelligence firm Ambrey reportedly said it is believed that “US naval forces are engaged in the situation and have asked vessels to stay clear of the area.”
In 2021, a drone attack attributed to Iran resulted in casualties aboard Zodiac’s oil tanker Mercer Street off the coast of Oman.
Earlier attacks amid Israel-Hamas war
The recent attack on Central Park comes after another assault on the container ship CMA CGM Symi, owned by a different Israeli billionaire, on Friday (Nov 24) in the Indian Ocean. The Symi was reportedly attacked by a suspected Iranian drone.
Both vessels had reportedly deactivated their Automatic Identification System (AIS) trackers, a safety measure indicating a potential threat. Vessels are typically required to maintain active AIS for safety purposes, however, crews may choose to deactivate it if there are indications of a potential targeting situation.
(With inputs from agencies)
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