Leaking UK cargo ship Rubymar attacked by Houthis sinks in Red Sea, raises environmental concerns

UK-owned Rubymar cargo ship, which was damaged in an attack by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in January, has reportedly sunk in the Red Sea, Yemen’s government said on Saturday (March 2).

The government further warned of an “environmental catastrophe” from the vessel’s cargo of fertilizer.

“The MV Rubymar sank last night, coinciding with weather factors and strong winds at sea,” said a crisis cell of Yemen’s internationally recognised government in charge of the case.

Roy Khoury, chief executive of the ship’s operator Blue Fleet, according to news agency AFP stated that he was unaware of the sinking.

“We have nobody on board to check if it’s true or not,” he said.

A Yemeni government team on Monday (Feb 26) had visited the Rubymar and said that the vessel was partially submerged. A government statement on Saturday said that the ship had sunk in the southern Red Sea on Friday night.