A Cameroon-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker identified as Falcon (IMO 9014432) caught fire after being struck by an unidentified projectile in the Gulf of Aden on 18 October 2025, according to reports from multiple maritime monitoring agencies. The incident occurred about 210 kilometers east of Aden, highlighting ongoing instability in one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed that the vessel was hit by a projectile of unknown origin, causing a fire onboard. A search and rescue operation was launched after the crew reported they were preparing to abandon the ship.
Maritime security firm Ambrey identified the vessel as the Falcon, a Cameroon-flagged LPG carrier owned by an Indian company, which had departed Sohar, Oman, and was en route to Djibouti. Radio transmissions intercepted by Ambrey indicated that the crew was evacuating the ship while rescue operations were ongoing.
Tanker Carried Iranian-Origin Cargo, Tracker Says
Independent tracking service TankerTrackers.com reported that the Falcon loaded liquefied petroleum gas at Assaluyeh, Iran, on 25 September 2025, before departing the Persian Gulf. The firm’s analysis of satellite data suggested the ship’s route indicated a course toward Yemen’s Ras Isa terminal, which is controlled by the Houthi movement.
Iran’s state-linked Mehr News Agency and Fars News both denied any connection between the vessel and the Iranian government, citing unnamed officials from the Ministry of Oil who stated that the Falcon “does not belong to the Ministry or to the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC).”
The United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) advocacy group previously identified the Falcon as part of Iran’s so-called “ghost fleet,” a collection of older, reflagged tankers used to transport Iranian oil products under alternative ownership structures to circumvent sanctions.
The LPG tanker FALCON (9014432), which caught fire today in the Gulf of Aden, was laden with Iranian LPG from Assaluyeh after loading there on 2025-09-25. She was most likely heading to Ras Isa, Yemen; to supply the Houthis. This vessel was detained in January 2025 in Istanbul… pic.twitter.com/D1kUoUADVi
— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) October 18, 2025
Crew Casualties and Safety Record
Port inspection data shows that the Falcon was detained in Istanbul in January 2025 for 13 safety deficiencies, including issues related to fire protection and navigation systems. Following the attack, authorities confirmed that 25 of the 26 crew members had been rescued, while one sailor remained missing.
The vessel reportedly had no recognized insurer and was not listed in any current international sanctions databases, according to port-state control records.
No Claim of Responsibility Amid Regional Tensions
While Houthi-affiliated media outlets denied involvement, the attack resembles prior incidents attributed to the group, which has carried out nearly 100 strikes on commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November 2023. These attacks began after the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in October 2023 and have targeted vessels believed to have ties to Israel or Western allies.
The Israeli military confirmed it was aware of the Falcon incident but stated it had no operations in the area.
According to data compiled by the Associated Press, four ships have been sunk and nine seafarers killed in similar attacks since last year, severely disrupting a trade corridor that carries an estimated $1 trillion in goods annually.
Maritime Industry Response
The latest incident follows a series of attacks in the region that have previously led several major shipping companies to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most strategic maritime chokepoints through which roughly 10% of global seaborne trade passes each year.
Industry observers note that the Falcon fire underscores the continuing risk to civilian shipping in contested waters.
Sources: UKMTO, TankerTrackers.com, Ambrey, Mehr News, Fars News, UANI, Marine Insight, Associated Press.
Notes: Multi-source verification complete; TankerTrackers data single-source verified.
