The crew of the Ukrainian ship Verbena abandoned the vessel three days after it was attacked by Houthis in the Gulf of Aden, according to the US Central Command on X.
The ship's crew issued a distress signal indicating they were abandoning the ship. The vessel Anna Meta responded to assist. The sailors are now being transported to a safe location.
"The crew abandoned ship due to continued fires and an inability to control them," the report says.
US military officials added that the Iranian frigate IRIN Jamaran was eight nautical miles from the Verbena but did not respond to the distress signal.
Details of the attack on the Ukrainian ship
On June 13, Houthis attacked the Ukrainian ship Verbena in the Gulf of Aden. The militants struck the vessel with two anti-ship cruise missiles.
The attack resulted in fires on the ship. One sailor was seriously injured and was evacuated.
According to the US Central Command, Verbena is a Ukrainian cargo ship flying the flag of Palau, which Poland owned. The bulk carrier was transporting construction materials from Malaysia to Italy.
