Mine explodes, damaging oil tanker off Saudi Arabia

A mine in the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia near Yemen exploded and damaged an oil tanker, authorities say, the latest incident targeting the kingdom amid its long war against Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

The blast happened early Wednesday and struck the MT Agrari, a Maltese-flagged, Greek-managed oil tanker near Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia.

“Their vessel was attacked by an unknown source,” a statement from the Agrari’s operators say. “The Agrari was struck about 1 meter above the waterline and has suffered a breach. It has been confirmed that the crew are safe and there have been no injuries.”

Seagulls fly over the Red Sea port city of Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 11, 2019 (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

The Saudi-led coalition reported yesterday that it removed and destroyed five Iranian-made naval mines planted by the Houthis in the southern Red Sea, condemning the attempted attacks as posing “a serious threat to maritime security in the Bab al-Mandab strait.”

— AP