October 6, 2025 — Amsterdam / Gulf of Aden
Dutch shipping company Spliethoff has confirmed that a crew member from the MV Minerva Gracht has died from critical injuries sustained during a Houthi missile attack in the Gulf of Aden last week.
The seafarer, whose identity has not been disclosed, was evacuated to a hospital in Djibouti after the September 29 attack, where he had been receiving intensive medical treatment for severe blast injuries. Despite ongoing care, he succumbed to his wounds several days later, the company said in a statement on October 6.
“We are deeply saddened by this loss and extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of our colleague,” Spliethoff stated. “Our thoughts remain with the crew members who endured this tragic event.”
The Minerva Gracht, a Dutch-flagged general cargo vessel, was struck approximately 128 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen. The attack caused a major fire and left the vessel adrift and heavily damaged.
A total of 19 crew members were aboard at the time. The EU Naval Force’s Operation ASPIDES responded to the distress call, rescuing most of the crew and transporting them to Djibouti. All but one surviving crew member have since been repatriated; one remains hospitalized but is reported to be in stable condition.
Houthi forces claimed responsibility for the strike — their second attack on the same vessel within a week, highlighting a growing escalation in the group’s campaign against commercial shipping in the Red Sea region.
The Netherlands has formally urged the European Union to classify Yemen’s Houthi movement as a terrorist organization, following this fatal incident — the fourteenth death of a seafarer linked to Houthi maritime attacks since the conflict began.
