JakartaHerald.com - The sinking of the RubyMar ship, which was attacked by Houthi rebels, finally occurred in the Red Sea.
The US military has warned of environmental and transportation risks following the sinking of a British cargo ship that was hit as part of a militant campaign regarding the conflict in Gaza.
A British vessel, targeted by Yemen's Houthis, has now sunk in the Red Sea after days of being submerged, marking the first ship to be completely destroyed as part of the rebel campaign against Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza.
The sinking of the RubyMar ship took place as shipping through vital waterways for cargo and energy shipments from Asia and the Middle East to Europe was impacted by Houthi attacks.
Many ships have diverted from the route. The sinking of the RubyMar could lead to longer detours and higher insurance rates for vessels crossing that route – potentially increasing global inflation and affecting aid deliveries to the region.
The US military released images of the sunken ship, stating that it now poses environmental and maritime risks.
"Around 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer carried by the ship poses an environmental risk in the Red Sea. The sinking of the ship also poses a risk of underwater impacts to other vessels transiting the busy shipping lanes in that waterway," a spokesperson said on Sunday.
Ian Ralby, founder of maritime security company IR Consilium, pointed out that part of the environmental danger lies in the circular water patterns of the Red Sea.
Essentially, these waters function as a giant lagoon, with water flowing north towards the Suez Canal in Egypt during winter and out towards the Gulf of Aden in the summer.
"What spills into the Red Sea, stays in the Red Sea," said Ralby. "There are many ways in which it can be harmful."
The Belize-flagged RubyMar, operated by Lebanon, drifted north after being attacked on February 18 in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a crucial waterway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The internationally recognized government of Yemen, along with regional military officials, confirmed the sinking of the ship. These officials spoke on condition of anonymity as no permission was granted to speak to journalists about the incident.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre, overseeing Middle East waters, separately acknowledged the sinking of the RubyMar on Saturday evening. The Beirut-based owners of RubyMar could not immediately be reached for comment.
The exiled government of Yemen, supported by the Saudi-led Arab coalition since 2015, stated that the RubyMar sank on Friday night in stormy weather in the Red Sea. The ship had been left abandoned for 12 days after the attack, although plans were made to try to tow it to a safe harbor.
The Iran-backed Houthi group, claiming the ship sank immediately after the attack, did not acknowledge its sinking.
The US Central Military Command previously stated that the ship’s cargo, including fertilizer and leaking fuel, could cause ecological damage in the Red Sea. Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, the new prime minister of Yemen's government, called the sinking of the ship an "unprecedented environmental disaster".
"This is a new disaster for our country and our people," he wrote. "Every day, we pay the price for the Houthi militia's adventures, which do not cease to drag Yemen into the disasters of coup and war."
Since November, rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters as a protest against Israel's attacks in Gaza. These ships include at least one vessel bound for Iran, a major donor to the Houthis, and an aid ship heading to Houthi-controlled areas.
Despite over a month of US-led airstrikes, Houthi rebels are still able to launch significant attacks, including the assault on RubyMar and the downing of million-dollar US drones. The Houthi group has vowed to continue their attacks until Israel halts its military operations in Gaza, causing widespread anger in the Arab world.
However, in recent days, there has been a slowdown in attacks, with the reasons still unclear.
Previously, the Indonesian oil ship named Gamsunoro also passed through the Red Sea but they were safe from Houthi attacks
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