A naval drone deployed by the Houthi rebels struck the M/V Tutor, a commercial vessel, in the Red Sea last week, causing severe damage and forcing the crew to abandon ship. The incident, which marks the first successful Houthi attack on a commercial ship during their current campaign, was captured on video and has circulated widely on social media.
The uncrewed surface vessel (USV), disguised as a fishing boat, approached the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk cargo carrier before detonating, resulting in extensive flooding and damage to the engine room. The crew of the Tutor, which included 24 sailors, was rescued by the U.S. Navy after being adrift for three days. One crew member remains missing.
Videos from the Filipino sailors of M/V Tutor, a Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned, and operated bulk cargo carrier, captures the June 12 attack by Iranian-backed Houthis. The attack, carried out with an uncrewed surface vessel #USV [suicide boat drone] built on the hull of a… pic.twitter.com/aLLaWnAK93
— Basha باشا (@BashaReport) June 17, 2024
The attack took place as the M/V Tutor sailed across the Red Sea. Footage from the incident shows the vessel’s security crew reacting with confusion as the USV, which appeared to be equipped with dummies to mimic a manned boat, approached. The security team failed to engage the threat before it struck the vessel, causing a massive explosion.
Reports from Ambrey, a maritime security firm, indicated that the USV was packed with approximately 55 pounds of C4 explosives, comparable to 74 pounds of TNT. This type of attack tactic, involving disguised drone boats, has been used by the Houthis in the past to circumvent defenses and maximize impact.
Following the attack, the crew of the Tutor issued a distress call. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group responded, deploying helicopters from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74 and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7 to airlift the crew to safety. The sailors were taken to the USS Philippine Sea for medical checks before being flown ashore.
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