WASHINGTON: A cargo ship deserted within the Gulf of Aden after an assault by Yemeni rebels is taking up water and has left an enormous oil slick, in an environmental catastrophe that US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Friday (Feb 24) mentioned might worsen.
Rubymar, a Belize-flagged, British-registered and Lebanese-operated cargo ship carrying flamable fertiliser, was broken in a Sunday missile strike claimed by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Its crew was evacuated to Djibouti after one missile hit the aspect of the ship, inflicting water to enter the engine room and its stern to sag, mentioned its operator, the Blue Fleet Group.
A second missile hit the vessel’s deck with out inflicting main injury, Blue Fleet CEO Roy Khoury advised AFP.
CENTCOM mentioned the ship is anchored however slowly taking up water and has left a 29km oil slick.
“The M/V Rubymar was transporting over 41,000 tons of fertiliser when it was attacked, which might spill into the Purple Sea and worsen this environmental catastrophe,” it mentioned in a submit on X, previously Twitter.
The ship’s operator mentioned on Thursday the ship may very well be towed to Djibouti this week.
Khoury mentioned the ship was nonetheless afloat and shared a picture captured on Wednesday that confirmed its stern low within the water.
When requested about the opportunity of it sinking, Khoury had mentioned there was “no threat for now, however all the time a risk.”
