A commercial vessel off Yemen's western Hodeidah coast is ablaze and taking on water after an armed assault, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed late Sunday.

The UKMTO, in a report seen by Baran Press, stated that the ship owner's security officer confirmed water ingress into the damaged vessel. All crew members have safely evacuated the ship and are awaiting aid.

According to the British authority, the severe water leakage is a direct consequence of a fire that erupted after the vessel was struck by unidentified projectiles, causing extensive damage. The incident remains ongoing.

Hours before this latest development, UKMTO had initially reported that the commercial ship came under armed attack from several small boats approximately 51 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah. The assailants used small arms fire and various projectiles during the assault.

UKMTO noted that authorities are actively investigating the circumstances of the attack, though no group has yet claimed responsibility for the incident. The maritime authority also reiterated its call for commercial vessels to exercise extreme caution when transiting the hazardous area.

Earlier, UKMTO had issued a warning to ships bound for Hodeidah ports, which are under the control of the Iran-backed Houthis, citing persistent security risks to commercial shipping in the region.