ADEN, Yemen, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Saturday it had received multiple reports of suspicious activities in the Gulf of Aden.
In a statement posted on X, UKMTO said several vessels reported being approached by skiffs in the area on Saturday. A large skiff fitted with two outboard engines was seen carrying ladders and weapons, according to the statement.
UKMTO advised vessels transiting the area to exercise caution.
Earlier Saturday, UKMTO reported that a vessel sailing about 200 nautical miles west of Yemen's Socotra island was approached by a suspicious small craft carrying five people.
The craft came within about 100 meters of the vessel before moving away, the statement said.
Waters around Yemen, including key shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, have seen repeated maritime security incidents amid ongoing regional tensions.
Earlier this month, Yemen's Coast Guard said unidentified armed men boarded and seized an oil tanker off the coast of Shabwa province before steering it toward the Somali coast. ■
