A Vroon anchor-handler (AHTS) has been attacked by pirates off Yemen.

The 69-bp VOS Theia (built 2011) was lying off the Houthi rebel-controlled port of Hodeidah at the time of the incident over the weekend, Reuters cited port authorities as saying.

The ship was described as a UN aid vessel bringing in supplies under the World Food Programme (WFP).

The UN had said the attack resulted in a fire in the engine room, but Vroon said this was not the case.