SANAA: A cargo ship loaded with fertilizer has sunk in the Gulf of Aden less than two weeks after it was damaged by Houthis’ missiles, Yemen’s government said on Saturday.
The Rubymar, flying a Belizean flag and operated by a Lebanese firm, was targeted in a missile attack on February 19, claimed by the Houthis. The vessel was transporting combustible fertilizers and had departed from the United Arab Emirates en route to the Bulgarian port of Varna.
Following the attack, the crew abandoned the ship, and it subsequently sank due to weather factors and strong winds at sea, as announced by a crisis cell of Yemen’s government overseeing the case.
Cargo Ship Sinks in Gulf of Aden
Roy Khoury, CEO of the ship’s operator Blue Fleet, expressed unawareness of the sinking, stating that there were no personnel on board to verify the situation.
Satellite images revealed fuel oil leaking from the vessel, heightening concerns about potential environmental consequences, particularly in Yemeni territorial waters and the Red Sea.
The sinking of the Rubymar has raised alarm over a potential environmental catastrophe, with experts warning of the impacts of a spill of ammonium nitrate fertilizer on marine ecosystems.
The incident adds to escalating tensions in the region, with the Houthis continuing to carry out attacks on ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in support of Palestinians in Gaza. In response, the United States established a multinational force to safeguard maritime traffic in the strategic waterway, while launching strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen since January.
