Watch: Fire Erupts In Cargo Ship’s Engine Room At The Israeli Port Of Haifa

A Turkish-owned cargo ship named Yaf Horizon caught fire while it was docked at the Israeli Port of Haifa on June 10, 2024.

The vessel arrived from Russia carrying iron or steel cargo and was stationed at Israel Shipyards in Haifa’s Kishon area when the fire broke out.

Local first responders were quickly deployed to control the fire that had started in the ship’s engine room.

Teams from the Kiryot fire station and a Haifa Marine Transport Company tug worked together to extinguish the fire.

According to on-scene commander Moshe Chiko Levy, the fire was contained in the generator room on the second level of the engine room, and no immediate threat to human life was detected.

The primary objective was to protect the vessel from further damage.

Officials have dismissed the possibility that a drone strike or gunfire started the fire.

The Panama-flagged cargo ship Yaf Horizon was hit in Haifa. The vessel was built in 2009 and came to Israel from Turkey. pic.twitter.com/utbeRZdEID

— Маrina Wolf (@volkova_ma57183) June 10, 2024

Video Credits: @volkova_ma57183/Twitter

Despite ongoing regional conflicts, particularly involving Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeting Israel-bound shipments, there is no proof that external aggression was the cause of the incident.

Haifa, located in Northern Israel, is an uncommon target for such operations, as prior strikes have mainly targeted southern regions such as Eilat.

The vessel Yaf Horizon, an 8300 deadweight tonnage freighter, is owned by an Istanbul-based shipping company.

However, the vessel’s history reveals a concerning pattern of port state control inspection violations, such as engine room cleanliness, fire damper operations, and faulty fire alarms.

These issues raise concerns about the ship’s maintenance and adherence to safety standards.

🇱🇧🇮🇱 Hezbollah officially began striking the Israeli port of Haifa for the first time pic.twitter.com/PUAWSiWoK3

— Маrina Wolf (@volkova_ma57183) June 10, 2024

Video Credits: @volkova_ma57183/Twitter

Before arriving at Haifa, the Yaf Horizon travelled to Novorossiysk, Russia, in the Black Sea.

The ship’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal was interfered twice while returning.

The first incident was caused by a known disturbance at Simferopol Airport in Crimea, while the second disruption was centred around Beirut International Airport.

These interruptions temporarily misled the ship’s reported position, indicating the possibility of interference from defensive electronic warfare equipment.

Investigations into the cause of the fire aboard the Yaf Horizon are underway, as authorities are committed to safeguarding the safety and security of maritime operations in Haifa and beyond.

Reference: Safety4Sea