Cargo ship ‘pirate attack’ video actually shows Houthi drone blast [VIDEO]

Armed Guards Aboard Container Ship Stop Deadly Houthi Sea Drone in Red Sea

Red Sea — A viral social media clip showing armed guards firing at what many online believed were pirates trying to board a cargo ship has turned out to be something much more dangerous — and far more politically charged. The footage, which exploded across X (formerly Twitter) this morning (August 10), actually captures the moment a container ship’s private security team destroyed a Houthi unmanned sea drone packed with explosives before it could ram the vessel.

The short, fog-covered clip shows two guards on the starboard bridge wing of the ship, rifles raised, firing multiple shots at a small boat speeding toward them. Moments later, a massive explosion erupts, sending a fireball and thick black smoke into the air. While the original post from @DailyLoud framed it as “pirates trying to take over a cargo ship,” experts quickly identified the target as a kamikaze unmanned surface vessel (USV) — the kind used by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels in a string of deadly attacks on global shipping.

What Really Happened on the M/V Pumba

The incident took place on July 23, 2024, aboard a container ship transiting the southern Red Sea. While the vessel’s name has not been widely publicized for security reasons, multiple maritime security sources confirm it was the M/V Pumba.

Two Ukrainian security guards armed with what appear to be FN FAL or L1A1 semiautomatic rifles opened fire after spotting the fast-approaching drone boat. They fired around 18 rounds before hitting the vessel’s explosive payload, triggering the massive detonation caught on camera.

Thanks to the guards’ quick action, the ship continued on its route unharmed — a rare success story in a region where similar attacks have sunk ships and killed crew members.

Part of a Larger, Deadly Campaign

The M/V Pumba incident isn’t an isolated event. It’s one chapter in a broader Houthi campaign against commercial shipping, which began in October 2023 during the Gaza conflict. The Houthis claim to target vessels linked to Israel, the United States, or the UK, though their strikes have also hit Russian, Chinese, and unrelated civilian vessels.

Since the start of the campaign:

• 4 ships have been sunk
• 1 ship seized
• At least 8 sailors killed
• Over 100 merchant vessels attacked

The Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait carry around 15% of all global maritime traffic. Attacks have forced many shipping companies to reroute around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope — adding up to two weeks and $1–2 million in extra costs per voyage.

Why This Attack Failed — and Others Haven’t

The Pumba’s success contrasts sharply with incidents like the M/V Tutor disaster in June 2024, when Houthi forces used a similar drone boat to deliver a fatal blow after missile and UAV strikes. The Tutor sank, killing at least one crew member.

Maritime security experts point to three key differences in the Pumba incident:

1. Preparedness — The guards spotted the drone early despite poor visibility.
2. Firepower — Semi-automatic battle rifles allowed rapid, accurate shots.
3. Rules of Engagement — Private security teams on high-risk routes have increasingly been authorized to open fire sooner.

A Timeline of Major Houthi Attacks

From Ceasefire to Escalation

For the first half of this year, attacks slowed after U.S. and UK airstrikes on Houthi positions and a temporary ceasefire tied to Gaza negotiations. But in just the past month, violence surged again:

• Two ships sunk in one week
• Four sailors killed in a single incident
• Expanded targeting — including vessels with only tangential links to Israel or Western nations

There are also reports of Russian GRU advisers assisting the Houthis, raising fears of even more sophisticated targeting.

Online Reactions: Pirates or Politics?

The @DailyLoud post racked up 4.3 million views, 60,000 likes, and nearly 5,000 reposts. But much of that engagement came from confusion. Many users initially believed the guards had killed human pirates, reacting with shock, memes, and even outrage:

• “They blew up the entire boat 😳”
• “Why would you shoot at innocent people?”
• “They wanted to be like this guy… but got smoked.”

Maritime watchers quickly corrected the record:

• “That was a Houthi suicide drone boat… no people on board.”
• “Armed guards on container ship destroyed Houthi kamikaze sea drone.”

About 70–80% of replies supported the armed guards’ actions, with the rest either correcting misinformation or expressing unease about the escalation.

Why Armed Security Is Now Essential

The Pumba incident underscores a shift in global shipping norms: armed security is becoming non-negotiable on certain trade routes.

In the early 2010s, Somali piracy prompted some vessels to hire private guards. But those pirates were armed with small arms — not guided missiles or explosive-laden drone boats. The Houthi threat is orders of magnitude deadlier, and response times are measured in seconds.

The International Chamber of Shipping has urged shipowners to review their security protocols, citing the Pumba defense as a model for preventing catastrophic losses.

Economic and Environmental Risks

Beyond the human toll, attacks in the Red Sea threaten the global economy and the environment:

• Oil tanker spills could devastate marine life in a critical ecosystem.
• Supply chain delays ripple through everything from electronics to grain shipments.
• Insurance premiums for Red Sea routes have soared, further raising shipping costs.

International Response

The U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian and joint strikes under Operation Poseidon Archer have degraded some Houthi capabilities but have not stopped the attacks. The UN Security Council reaffirmed freedom of navigation in January 2024 but stopped short of authorizing force, leaving defense largely in the hands of national navies and private operators.

With Houthis showing no signs of relenting — and even expanding their targeting — experts warn that incidents like the Pumba defense could become weekly events unless more aggressive deterrence measures are taken.

The Bottom Line

While the viral clip’s “pirate attack” framing made for easy clicks, the reality is both more complex and more alarming. The M/V Pumba’s security team didn’t just stop a robbery — they prevented a potential mass-casualty explosion in one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.

In an era where maritime security threats are escalating from rifles to remote-controlled bombs, the Red Sea has become a test case for whether armed merchant vessels can hold the line against unconventional naval warfare.

And for once, this battle ended with the good guys — and the cargo — making it safely to port.