By By The People News
Photo: The picture here wasn’t the vessel attacked and is meant of illustration
MONROVIA — A Liberian-flagged commercial vessel has come under missile attack in waters near Saudi Arabia, an incident that injured at least one crew member and resulted in the sinking of the ship, according to Liberia’s representative at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the IMO, Robert Moncio Kpadeh, disclosed the incident during a special session of the maritime body, where he strongly condemned the attack and warned that such actions pose a serious threat to global maritime navigation.
Kpadeh told delegates that Liberia had earlier alerted the IMO about the assault on the vessel at the start of the meeting. He noted that Liberia stands with other member states in condemning attacks on commercial ships, describing the incident as a violation of established international maritime norms.
According to him, attacks on merchant vessels undermine the principle of freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which safeguards the safe passage of ships across international waters.
“The safety and security of ships and seafarers must remain a priority for the international community,” Kpadeh emphasized, noting that global trade heavily depends on secure and uninterrupted maritime routes.
The attack comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. The confrontation, which escalated in late February 2026, has already disrupted key shipping corridors and heightened security risks for vessels operating in the Persian Gulf and nearby waters.
Maritime observers warn that continued attacks on commercial vessels could further strain global shipping networks and pose significant risks to international trade if tensions in the region persist.
