Crew Abandon Ship After Houthi Bombing

The military spokesman for the Houthis in Yemen said in a statement today that the cargo ship Rubymar is in danger of capsizing after being attacked by them in the Gulf of Aden.

According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency, an unnamed ship was indeed abandoned off Yemen after it sustained damage from an explosion.

The cargo ship Rubymar, registered in Britain but flying the flag of Belize, may sink after being struck by missiles.

Attacks have forced a large number of shipping companies to discontinue using the vital Bab-el-Mandeb canal, which makes up around 12% of all maritime trade worldwide. In retaliation, US and British forces started conducting airstrikes on targets throughout Houthi-controlled western Yemen last month.

Since mid-November, the Houthis, who are supported by Iran, have undertaken numerous missile and drone strikes on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They claim this is in retaliation for Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Source: BBC