Maritime Jewel
Encyclopedia
The Maritime Jewel is a double hull oil tanker
built in 2000; its length is 332 metres (1,089.2 ft) and its width is 58 metres (190.3 ft). It was known as the Limburg until 2003.
to Malaysia, and was in the Gulf of Aden
off Yemen
to pick up another load of oil. It was registered under a French
-flag and had been chartered by the Malaysian petrol firm Petronas
.
While it was some miles offshore, an explosives-laden dinghy
rammed the starboard side of the tanker and detonated. The vessel caught on fire and approximately 90000 barrels (14,308,856.6 l) of oil leaked into the Gulf of Aden
. Although Yemeni officials initially claimed that the explosion was the result of an accident, later investigations found traces of TNT on the damaged ship.
One crew member, a 38 year-old Bulgaria
n named Atanas Atanasov, was killed, and 12 other crew members were injured.
The fire was put out, and four days later the Limburg was towed to Dubai
, United Arab Emirates
. The damage to the tanker was around $45 million USD. The ship was sold to Tanker Pacific by 2003 under the new name Maritime Jewel, who repaired it for $8.5 million USD.
, who also planned the USS Cole bombing
, is thought to have been the mastermind of the attack. A later statement on the attack from Osama bin Laden would read:
On February 3, 2006, Fawaz Yahya al-Rabeiee, who had been sentenced to death for the Limburg attack, and 22 other suspected or convicted Al-Qaeda members escaped from jail in Yemen. Jamal al-Badawi, who masterminded the USS Cole bombing
of October 12, 2000, was also among the escapees, in total thirteen of whom had been convicted of the Cole and Limburg bombings. On October 1, 2006, al-Rabeiee and Mohammed Daylami were shot and killed by Yemeni security forces during raids on two buildings in the capital Sana'a
. One of al-Rabeiee's accomplices was also arrested during the raids.
Oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
built in 2000; its length is 332 metres (1,089.2 ft) and its width is 58 metres (190.3 ft). It was known as the Limburg until 2003.
Bombing
On October 6, 2002, the Limburg was carrying 397000 barrels (63,118 m³) of crude oil from IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
to Malaysia, and was in the Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
off Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
to pick up another load of oil. It was registered under a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-flag and had been chartered by the Malaysian petrol firm Petronas
Petronas
PETRONAS, short for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is a Malaysian oil and gas company that was founded on August 17, 1974. Wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia, the corporation is vested with the entire oil and gas resources in Malaysia and is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and...
.
While it was some miles offshore, an explosives-laden dinghy
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
rammed the starboard side of the tanker and detonated. The vessel caught on fire and approximately 90000 barrels (14,308,856.6 l) of oil leaked into the Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
. Although Yemeni officials initially claimed that the explosion was the result of an accident, later investigations found traces of TNT on the damaged ship.
One crew member, a 38 year-old Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n named Atanas Atanasov, was killed, and 12 other crew members were injured.
The fire was put out, and four days later the Limburg was towed to Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. The damage to the tanker was around $45 million USD. The ship was sold to Tanker Pacific by 2003 under the new name Maritime Jewel, who repaired it for $8.5 million USD.
Economic impact
The attack resulted in the short-term collapse of international shipping in the Gulf of Aden and as a result, cost Yemen to lose $3.8 million a month in port revenues.Responsibility
Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack on the Jehad.net website, which has since been shut down. Abd al-Rahim al-NashiriAbd al-Rahim al-Nashiri
Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri is a Saudi Arabian citizen alleged to be the mastermind of the USS Cole bombing and other terrorist attacks, he allegedly headed al-Qaeda operations in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf states prior to his capture in November 2002 by the CIA's Special Activities Division.The...
, who also planned the USS Cole bombing
USS Cole bombing
The USS Cole Bombing, or the USS Cole Incident, was a suicide attack against the United States Navy destroyer on October 12, 2000 while it was harbored and refueled in the Yemeni port of Aden. Seventeen American sailors were killed, and 39 were injured...
, is thought to have been the mastermind of the attack. A later statement on the attack from Osama bin Laden would read:
On February 3, 2006, Fawaz Yahya al-Rabeiee, who had been sentenced to death for the Limburg attack, and 22 other suspected or convicted Al-Qaeda members escaped from jail in Yemen. Jamal al-Badawi, who masterminded the USS Cole bombing
USS Cole bombing
The USS Cole Bombing, or the USS Cole Incident, was a suicide attack against the United States Navy destroyer on October 12, 2000 while it was harbored and refueled in the Yemeni port of Aden. Seventeen American sailors were killed, and 39 were injured...
of October 12, 2000, was also among the escapees, in total thirteen of whom had been convicted of the Cole and Limburg bombings. On October 1, 2006, al-Rabeiee and Mohammed Daylami were shot and killed by Yemeni security forces during raids on two buildings in the capital Sana'a
Sana'a
-Districts:*Al Wahdah District*As Sabain District*Assafi'yah District*At Tahrir District*Ath'thaorah District*Az'zal District*Bani Al Harith District*Ma'ain District*Old City District*Shu'aub District-Old City:...
. One of al-Rabeiee's accomplices was also arrested during the raids.