The British-registered cargo ship, Rubymar, SINKS after being hit by Houthi missiles in the Red Sea. It is the first vessel to be destroyed as part of rebels’ Israel war campaign.
- The Rubymar was attacked on February 18 by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels
- The vessel was hit in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, 35 nautical miles from Yemen
A British-registered freighter has sunk in the Red Sea after the crew were forced to abandon ship following an attack by Yemeni Houti rebels.
The Cargo ship Rubymar, which was abandoned in the southern Red Sea after being targeted by Yemen’s Houthis on February 18, has sunk, a statement by the internationally recognised Yemeni government said on Saturday.
The attack occurred in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, 35 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen, on Sunday night, the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said, against a vessel that was later identified as the Rubymar.
The crew of the British-registered cargo ship, which comes in at 171.6m long and 27m wide, was forced to ‘abandon the vessel’ following the attack, though the UKMTO said yesterday that all crew are safe and ‘authorities are investigating.’
The vessel is the first to be fully destroyed as part of their campaign over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Rubymar had been drifting northward after being attacked.
Yemen’s internationally recognised government, as well as a regional military official, confirmed the ship sank. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as the information had not been cleared for publication.
The Rubymar’s Beirut-based manager could not be immediately reached for comment.
By DARREN BOYLE
