A fire aboard the Hong Kong-flagged ASL Bauhinia yesterday was not linked to Houthi attacks, the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) have said, Reuters reports.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, JMIC said. A maritime security source told Reuters that the fire resulted from hazardous cargo on board.

There has been a spate of fires on board container ships in recent years due to flammable cargoes.

The crew of the container ship abandoned it in the Red Sea yesterday, according to two maritime sources.

Opinion

Editorial

A new deal
Updated 16 Jun, 2026

A new deal

AFTER three and a half months of war between US-Israel and Iran and an acrimonious temporary ceasefire, a genuine...
Charter of economy
16 Jun, 2026

Charter of economy

NO one expected the PTI to accept the government’s invitation to sign a charter of economy; just as few expected...
Hostage seamen
16 Jun, 2026

Hostage seamen

SOME 50 days on, 11 Pakistani nationals are still in Somali pirates’ captivity. Their appeals to the Pakistani and...
Climate choices
Updated 15 Jun, 2026

Climate choices

The country is confronting increasingly volatile weather patterns with consequences for agriculture, infrastructure, public health and economic planning.
Brief opening
15 Jun, 2026

Brief opening

WE have been here before. Throughout the weekend, there was great anticipation that a tentative framework for peace...
Environmental disaster
15 Jun, 2026

Environmental disaster

IT was a heartbreaking sight. A recent news report in these pages carried a picture of a sea turtle lying half ...