Red Sea: Cargo ship attacked by the Houthis likely to sink

Houthis attacked a UK-registered bulk carrier while it was en route from Khor Fakkan to Varna in Bulgaria. 

PHOTO: The vessel left from the UAE's Khor Fakkan port on February 10. Getty Images

The Belize-flagged vessel, RUBYMAR, was attacked 35 nautical miles (65 km) south of Yemen’s Al Mukha, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency.  

The UKMTO confirmed that the crew had safely abandoned the vessel, with all members safe. “Military authorities are on scene providing assistance,” it added. The 19,420-dwt vessel, built in 1997, was scheduled to dock at Varna on 27 February.

This morning, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sare'e claimed responsibility for the attack on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). He stated that a "specific military operation" was carried out on RUBYMAR in the Gulf of Aden using naval missiles."

“The ship suffered catastrophic damages and came to a complete halt. As a result of this extensive damage the ship suffered, it is now at risk of potential sinking in the Gulf of Aden,” read Sare’e’s X statement.  

The spokesperson warned that Houthi militia attacks in the Red Sea will continue until Israel halts its military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Despite Houthi attacks since December last year, vessel traffic remains steady in the Red Sea, according to Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime. 

“The presence of regional carriers transiting the region is not diminishing,” Jensen posted on LinkedIn. According to Jensen’s analysis of AIS data, 14 container ships are currently navigating the waters of Bab al-Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden, travelling to or from the Red Sea as of 09:00 CET (08.00 GMT) this morning.

By Manjula Nair

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