Fire Breakout Footage of Xpress Pearl Near Sri Lanka in 2021, Falsely Shared As Fire At U.S. Ship After Houthi Attack 

In response to U.S. intervention, Houthi rebels in Yemen attacked the cargo ship Gibraltar Eagle near the Gulf of Aden on its way from South Korea to the U.S. The ship is owned by a US company. This event has garnered significant attention from the international media.

Unfortunately, amidst the coverage, numerous misleading posts have circulated on social media platforms, adding to the complexity of the situation. It is crucial to approach information about the incident with caution and verify details from reliable sources to ensure an accurate understanding of the events unfolding.

Social Media Posts

A viral video circulating on social media says it depicts the US-owned cargo ship Gibraltar Eagle on fire after being attacked by Houthi rebels near the Gulf of Aden.

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We decided to do a fact-check on this.

Fact Check

Xpress Pearl Incident:

The misleading nature of the viral video was confirmed using a reverse image search of the keyframes using the In-VID-WeVerify Tool, which identified the footage to be the Xpress Pearl ship which caught fire off the shores of Sri Lanka in 2021, not the Gibraltar Eagle.

The Xpress Pearl fire was caused by chemical interactions within its cargo, including explosive chemicals like nitric oxide. The ship was ultimately destroyed by the fire and sank off the coast of Sri Lanka.

The original video Sri Lanka, Air Force media, released a few years ago, can be watched below.

Gibraltar Eagle Attack:

However, the Gibraltar Eagle was indeed attacked by Houthi rebels near the Gulf of Aden.

The U.S. Central Command has officially verified the incident, stating that the M/V Gibraltar Eagle was targeted by an anti-ship ballistic missile launched from Houthi-controlled regions in Yemen. However, having reported no injuries, the ship is continuing its journey.

On Jan. 15 at approximately 4 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the M/V Gibraltar Eagle, a Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned and operated container ship. The ship has… pic.twitter.com/gixEMaUiVT

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 15, 2024

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office reported that a ship’s Master observed a missile impacting the vessel’s port side from above, approximately 95 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen.

The Gibraltar Eagle was slightly damaged but is seaworthy and leaving the region, according to Eagle Bulk Shipping, the Connecticut-based company that owns the ship.

Limited damage to a cargo hold was reported, with the ship carrying steel products. More details can be read here in this Washington Post article.

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Conclusion:

The viral video in question is misleading and does not portray scenes of the burning of the Gibraltar Eagle Ship after Yemen's Houthi Attack. Instead, it features footage of an incident involving a fire breakout of the Xpress Pearl ship near the Sri Lankan coast in 2021.

It is crucial for users to rely on verified sources and employ fact-checking tools to ensure accurate information is shared on social media platforms.