Crew with Turkish captains rescued after tanker seized off Yemen

ANKARA

A tanker linked to an Israeli-affiliated company tanker and crew members, including two Turkish captains, have been rescued 15 hours after it was seized off Yemen, the Turkish Maritime Directorate of the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry has stated.

"Communication has been established with the Liberian-flagged Central Park tanker, owned by the Israeli company, and its Turkish crew. We have learned that the vessel was rescued after being held for 15 hours, with all personnel reported to be in good condition,” a written statement by the directorate said early on Nov. 27.

Late on Nov. 26, the maritime body confirmed the loss of contact with the tanker in which captain Aydın Hasırcı and fourth mate Okan Yüksel were on duty.

Additionally, the maritime security firm Ambrey said that "U.S. naval forces are engaged in the situation" after the incident involving Central Park, which is owned and managed by a U.K.-based, Israel-linked company.

The U.S. military's Central Command said in a statement early on Nov. 26 that its forces and allies, including the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Mason, responded to the seizure and demanded the armed assailants release the tanker.

“Subsequently, five armed individuals debarked the ship and attempted to flee via their small boat,” Central Command said. “The Mason pursued the attackers resulting in their eventual surrender.”

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels had previously threatened to attack the tanker if it did not divert to the port of Hodeida, Ambrey said.

The boarding took place offshore from the Yemeni port city of Aden, with another vessel in the area reporting "an approach by eight persons on two skiffs wearing military uniforms,” Ambrey said.

The latest incident comes after a U.S. defense official said an Israeli-owned cargo ship was damaged in a suspected Iranian drone attack in the Indian Ocean and a week after Houthis seized an Israel-linked cargo vessel in the southern Red Sea.