Al-Oraiq

The Houthis claimed to have attacked the U.S. aircraft carrier 'Dwight D. Eisenhower' (MMSI: 368962000), the destroyer USS 'Gravely' (MMSI: 369970634) as well as the 'Abliani' (IMO:9693068), 'Maina' (IMO: 9699892) and 'Al Oraiq' (IMO: 9360790) in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean on June 1, 2024, after USCENTCOM and U.K. armed forces carried out strikes against 13 Houthis controlled areas in Yemen on May 30. The 'Eisenhower' was attacked by several missiles and drones. The 'Abliani' was sailing in the Red Sea, en route from Le Havre to Suez. The Houthi also claimed to have attacked the 'Maina' (IMO: 9699892) twice in the Red Sea and then in the Arabian Sea, while en route from Ust Luga to Krishnapatnam, and also the 'Al Oraiq' (IMO: 9360790) in the Indian Ocean, en route from Ras Laffan to Chioggia. On June 2, The U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) announced that on June 1, their forces destroyed one uncrewed aerial system (UAS) in the southern Red Sea, and identified two other UAS that crashed into the Red Sea. No casualties were reported. USCENTCOM forces have also destroyed two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) in the southern Red Sea. The ASBM was launched in the direction of USS Gravely but was destroyed by USCENTCOM.

The crew of the "Al Oraiq" has made the biggest mistakes in the collision between the tanker and the "Flinterstar" according to an independent investigation into the cause of the accident. The tanker was too fast and the crew has misjudged the traffic situation. They let the ship sail also on the wrong side of a buoy so that the collision with the "Flinterstar" was unavoidable. Furthermore, the study showed that there was a language problem. The communication between the pilots of the two vessels and the radar tower at Zeebrugge went almost exclusively in Dutch which the two captains of the ships did not understand. Initially it was thought that the "Flinterstar" was the major culprit. The court must now decide who was effectively responsible for the accident.

The repairs of the damage to the "Al Oraiq" after its collision with the "Flinterstar" at the Harland & Wolff yard in Belfast were completed on Dec 12. The ship left the port around noon and headed for Port Said, ETA Dec 22.