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A vessel near the Gulf of Aden reported a powerful explosion close to its hull on Wednesday, the second in a string of incidents off Yemen's coastline within a single day, as the United Kingdom's maritime safety agency warned ships to proceed with heightened vigilance through waters that have seen a sharp escalation in attacks in recent weeks.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the master of a tanker reported hearing a loud blast "in close proximity" to the vessel, located 95 nautical miles southeast of Aden.
All crew members were accounted for and safe, with no environmental damage recorded. Authorities said they were investigating.
The agency, which serves as the primary liaison between the Royal Navy and commercial shipping in the region, posted the warning on X, advising vessels to "transit with caution and report any suspicious activity."
Earlier the same day, UKMTO confirmed that a separate vessel had sunk off southwestern Yemen following a drone boat attack that took place Tuesday.
The ship went down approximately 9 nautical miles southwest of Al Mukha, a port town along Yemen's Red Sea coast near the narrow Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
According to the agency, the vessel was struck by an uncrewed surface vessel, which ignited a fire onboard. The crew were rescued by local authorities and reported safe and well. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
Uncrewed surface vessels, often referred to as drone boats, are remotely piloted explosive-laden watercraft that have become a signature weapon in attacks on Red Sea shipping.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, through which much of global oil and container trade flows between Asia, Europe, and North America, has been a focal point of maritime security incidents for years.
Wednesday's incidents come amid a broader and intensifying campaign against shipping in the region.
Yemen's Houthi movement, which is backed by Iran and controls much of northwestern Yemen including the capital Sana'a, declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia on July 22 and has since claimed strikes on multiple Saudi oil tankers in the northern Red Sea.
The group's spokesman, Yahya Saree, said this week that the Saudi-flagged "Wafa" was struck by ballistic missiles while transiting waters off Yanbu, a major Saudi port city on the Red Sea, marking what the group described as its eighth vessel strike since the blockade began.
The Houthis had previously waged a prolonged campaign against international shipping following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, targeting vessels they deemed linked to Israel or its allies.
That campaign ended after a Gaza ceasefire was announced in October 2025. The current wave of attacks represents a significant shift in targeting, with Saudi commercial vessels now the primary focus.
The back-to-back incidents prompted UKMTO to repeat its standing guidance for all commercial vessels transiting the area, urging masters to maintain heightened vigilance and report unusual activity.
The agency did not identify either vessel involved in Wednesday's alerts, nor did it disclose the flag states under which they operated.
The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden together form one of the world's most critical maritime corridors, linking the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean.
Sustained instability in the waterway has previously forced major shipping companies to reroute vessels around the southern tip of Africa, adding significant time and cost to global supply chains.
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