Ship Attacked by Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Sinks in Red Sea, Raising Concerns of Ecological Damage and Disrupted Shipping Routes
A ship attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels has sunk in the Red Sea after days of taking on water, officials said Saturday, marking the first vessel to be fully destroyed as part of their campaign over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The sinking of the Rubymar, which carried a cargo of fertilizer and previously leaked fuel, could cause ecological damage to the Red Sea and its coral reefs. Persistent Houthi attacks have already disrupted traffic in the crucial waterway for cargo and energy shipments moving from Asia and the Middle East to Europe.
The Belize-flagged Rubymar had been drifting northward after being struck by a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile on Feb. 18 in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Yemen’s internationally recognized government, as well as a regional military official, confirmed the ship sank. The U.S. military’s Central Command said early Sunday the Rubymar sank at 2:15 a.m. local time Saturday. It released an image of the vessel on its side as it was sinking.
“The approximately 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer that the vessel was carrying presents an environmental risk in the Red Sea,” it said in a statement. “As the ship sinks it also presents a subsurface impact risk to other ships transiting the busy shipping lanes of the waterway.”
The sinking of the Rubymar raises concerns about potential ecological damage to the Red Sea and its coral reefs. The vessel had been carrying a cargo of fertilizer and previously leaked fuel, which poses a significant environmental risk. Greenpeace has also expressed concerns about the situation, stating that without immediate action, this could escalate into a major environmental crisis. Julien Jreissati, program director at Greenpeace MENA, said, “As well as any further leaks of fuel oil from the engines, the sinking of the vessel could further breach the hull, allowing water to contact with the thousands of tons of fertilizer, which could then be released into the Red Sea and disrupt the balance of the marine ecosystems, triggering cascading effects throughout the food web.”
The sinking of the Rubymar also has significant implications for shipping routes and global trade. The Red Sea is a crucial waterway for cargo and energy shipments moving from Asia and the Middle East to Europe. The persistent Houthi attacks have already disrupted traffic in the region, with many ships turning away from the route. The sinking of the Rubymar could lead to further detours and higher insurance rates for vessels, potentially driving up global inflation and affecting aid shipments to the region.
The Houthis have been targeting ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters as part of their campaign over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. These attacks have not only disrupted shipping routes but also affected aid shipments to Yemen and Sudan. The International Rescue Committee recently suspended its aid shipments to Port Sudan through the Red Sea due to long delays and increased costs.
Despite over a month of U.S.-led airstrikes, the Houthi rebels have remained capable of launching significant attacks. They have targeted ships carrying cargo bound for Iran, their main benefactor, as well as aid ships bound for Houthi-controlled territory. The attacks will continue until Israel stops its combat operations in the Gaza Strip, according to the Houthis.
The sinking of the Rubymar is seen as an unprecedented environmental disaster by Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak, the prime minister, called it “a new disaster for our country and our people.” He also criticized the Houthi militia for their actions, stating, “Every day, we pay for the Houthi militia’s adventures, which were not stopped at plunging Yemen into the coup disaster and war.”
The sinking of the Rubymar highlights the ongoing conflict in Yemen and its devastating consequences. The Houthis have held Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, since 2014, expelling the government and leading to a stalemated war with a Saudi-led coalition since 2015. The conflict has caused immense suffering for the Yemeni people and has had far-reaching impacts on the region.
As the situation in Yemen continues to unfold, it is crucial for international actors to address the root causes of the conflict and work towards a peaceful resolution. The sinking of the Rubymar serves as a stark reminder of the environmental and humanitarian toll of ongoing conflicts and the urgent need for action.