A Houthi missile hit the stern of a tanker carrying Russian oil, causing partial flooding, stopping movement and temporarily losing steering control. The Houthis hit the M/T Wind tanker, which was transporting Russian oil in the Red Sea, with a missile. The news was released by the press service of the US Central Command.
At approximately 01:00 local time on May 18, Iran-backed Houthi forces launched an anti-ship ballistic missile and successfully hit the Panama-flagged M/T Wind. The ship belongs to Greece. The rocket hit the tanker's stern, causing partial flooding, stopping movement and temporary loss of steering control. There were no casualties as a result of the incident. UK-based security company Ambrey said the attack occurred about 20 kilometers southwest of the port city of Mokha, Yemen.
The missile caused a fire in the steering compartment. One of the ships of the US-led coalition on duty in the region immediately responded to the distress signal from the ship’s crew in the Red Sea. After some time, the crew was able to restore movement on their own and leave the danger zone. Russian oil According to Reuters, the Panama-flagged ship was in the Black Sea before the incident.
Arriving in Novorossiysk, it was loaded with Russian oil at the Sheskharis terminal. After loading, M/T Wind headed across the Red Sea to deliver Russian raw materials to China, but was ambushed by the Houthis. As noted in the news agency, sabotage and attacks by the Houthis on transit routes in the Red Sea led to disruptions in global shipping.
This has forced transport companies to revert to longer and more expensive routes around South Africa. The increasing complexity of logistics and its rise in cost obviously caused world oil prices to rise and, accordingly, fuel prices.