Cargo ships passing through the Red Sea are sending out messages to deter rebel pirates. Yemen's Houthis have been targeting commercial cargo ships to show their support for Hamas. Several shipping firms have suspended sailings through the Red Sea as a result of hijackings.
'Armed guards on board'. 'No link to Israel'. These are just two of the messages cargo ships passing through the Red Sea are sending out in attempts to deter a group of rebel pirates from trying to board. Yemen 's Houthis oppose US and Israeli influence in the Middle East. To show their support for Hamas , they have been targeting commercial cargo ships travelling across one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
The dramatic hijacking of a cargo ship on 19 November was one of the most significant attacks, with men seen dancing on the top deck of the Galaxy Leader after they used a helicopter to seize it. As a result, several shipping firms suspended sailings through the Red Sea, instead rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope - a journey that takes an average of 10 days longer and costs around £1.6m more. But for ships still travelling through the area, messages are being written in place of where the ship would normally list its destination, making the messages visible across marine tracking sites
Cargo Ships Red Sea Rebel Pirates Yemen Houthis Hamas Hijacking Shipping Firms