US Navy intercepts missiles in Red Sea while escorting Maersk ships

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Maersk said explosions nearby forced two ships operated by its U.S. subsidiary and fx678 Huitong websitecarrying U.S. military supplies to turn around when they were transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait northbound accompanied by the U.S. Navy.

"While en route, both ships reported seeing explosions close by and the U.S. Navy accompaniment also intercepted multiple projectiles," Maersk said in a statement, adding it was suspending Red Sea transits by vessels of the U.S. subsidiary.

Both vessels are operated by Maersk Line, Limited (MLL), its U.S. subsidiary that carries cargo for the Department of Defense, Department of State, USAID, and other U.S. government agencies.

They are both enrolled in the Maritime Security Program (MSP) and Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA) with the U.S. government, which is why it was escorted through the strait by U.S. Navy vessels, Maersk said.

MSP and VISA are programmes run by the U.S. Department of Defense to transport forces, supplies and equipment during times of war or of national emergency.

The vessels and crew were unharmed and were being escorted back to the Gulf of Aden by the U.S. Navy, Maersk said. Bab al-Mandab is the outlet of the Red Sea, between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea on the African coast.

On Jan. 5, Maersk said it would divert its container vessels away from the Red Sea for the foreseeable future. Until Wednesday, MLL ships had been the exception, but that would no longer be the case, Maersk said.

"Following the escalation of risk, MLL is suspending transits in the region until further notice," it said on Wednesday.

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