SEAFARERS passing through the Red Sea fear for their lives after an attack launched by the Houthi rebels killed three sailors last week.
The U.S. Central Command has confirmed that the missile attack killed three crew members onboard the Barbados-flagged True Confidence tanker.
Few other sailors suffered serious burns while some have been declared missing.
A Houthi spokesperson claimed the tanker was an “American ship.”
The vessel was en route from China to Saudi Arabia and was sailing through the Gulf of Aden when the attack occurred.
The incident marked the first civilian casualties as a result of a Houthi attack since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in October last year.
The ongoing tensions in the Red Sea have caused several shipping companies to abandon contracts or find an alternative route to avoid passing through the Red Sea.
The Red Sea plays an important role in the global economy as it shortens the path of cargo vessels passing between Asia and Europe almost by half, as compared to other routes.
