Shot at by Houthis

Freighter sinks into the sea: environmental disaster looms

(Bild: kameraOne (Screenshot))

Last week, the British cargo ship Rubymar was hit with a missile by Houthi rebels. It sprung a leak and filled with water, and is now sinking in the Red Sea. An environmental disaster is on the horizon.

The Rubymar, which sails under the flag of Belize, was carrying 40,000 tons of fertilizer. On Saturday, the US military pointed out an oil slick almost 30 kilometers long behind the ship and published corresponding satellite images. It has now warned of an environmental disaster in the region if the fertilizer also escapes from the freighter.

Negotiations on towing action
The owner of the ship, the British shipping company Blue Fleet Group, told Sky News that the US Navy had offered to tow the Rubymar away. Negotiations about a salvage operation are still ongoing. They are also looking into plugging the leak on board the ship. According to media reports, the engine room of the ocean-going freighter is already full of water.

The fertilizer that the Rubymar was carrying is threatening to leak into the sea.(Bild: kameraOne (Screenshot))

In response to the Houthi attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea, the British and US military have carried out waves of attacks on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen in recent weeks. Last week, the EU also launched its military operation against the Houthi attacks.

Ship headed for Iran also attacked
Since November, the rebels have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters. The Houthi militia claims that it is acting because of Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. However, it has frequently attacked ships with little or no connection to Israel, endangering shipping on a key route for trade between Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Among the ships attacked was at least one carrying cargo for Iran, the Houthis' main financial backer.