 "Representational image. Reuters file")
The cargo ship attacked by Iran-backed Houthi terrorists in the Gulf of Aden is at risk of sinking, the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said on Monday.
A Belize-flagged British vessel, the Rubymar cargo ship was in transit through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, came under Houthi attack, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said.
The crew, however, are reportedly safe with members present at the ship abandoning the vessel as soon as the strike occurred. The vessel has sustained “catastrophic” damages.
“The ship suffered catastrophic damages and came to a complete halt,” Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said. “During the operation, we made sure that the ship’s crew exited safely,” he added.
Since mid-November, the Houthi rebels in Yemen have repeatedly attacked international commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait with drones and missiles, claiming to be acting in solidarity with the Palestinian people as Israel fights Hamas in Gaza.
The attacks have prompted several companies to halt Red Sea journeys and opt for a longer and more expensive route around Africa, and US and British warplanes have carried out retaliatory strikes across Yemen.