Crew member of Dutch cargo ship dies of injuries sustained in attack by Houthis

A crew member of a Dutch cargo ship has died of his injuries after Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked the ship last week in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen.

The Dutch shipping company Spleithoff said the unidentified merchant sailor died Monday at the hospital after he was critically injured in the Sept. 29 attack on his vessel, the MV Minervagracht.

“The events of last week have left a profound impact on everyone at Spleithoff. Today’s news has deeply saddened everyone at the company, as we mourn the loss of a respected and valued seafarer,” the company said Monday in a statement.

Houthi rebels have launched a barrage of missile and drone attacks on dozens of ships transiting through the area. They said the strikes are in solidarity with the Palestinians and in response to the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. 

U.S. government officials said the Minervagracht had “no Israeli affiliations” when it was attacked, according to the Times of Israel.

The Minervagracht was in international waters in the Gulf of Aden when it was struck by an explosive device that inflicted substantial damage and ignited a fire aboard the ship. A helicopter rescued about 20 of its crew, a mixture of Russian, Ukrainian, Filipino and Sri Lankan merchant sailors, officials said.

“Most of the crew of Minervagracht have now been safely repatriated to their home countries,” the company said. “One crew member remains under medical care in Djibouti. His condition is stable, and we expect he will be able to return home later this week.”