Just two incidents were logged by UKMTO for the period 23rd to 29th August, although they note that a number of reports have been made from the Southern Red Sea/BAM and Gulf of Oman in August. Several of these included the sighting of ladders in vessels which are not really indicative of the normal pattern of life there.
On August 25th at 0300 UTC, a MV was approached in position 08:21.7N-076:36.7E at speed by a white and blue-hulled skiff with 5 POB to within 100m. At 0730 UTC, the same MV was approached in position 08:53.4N-075:59.1E by a similar skiff holding 6 POB to within 300m. The MV reported the sighting of weapons on board the skiff. The MV’s armed security team displayed weapons, at which time the skiff backed off. Interestingly, the Indian Coast Guard searched the area following this report but found no skiffs. The IMB has removed the incident from its stats.
On August 28th at 0932 UTC, a MV was approached by two to four skiffs to within 1.5nm. An initial suspicion of weapons on board was later retracted. The initial VHF message from the MV was overheard by coalition forces in the vicinity. The MV is safe.
