Houthis’ Attack Leads to Sinking of Coal Carrier in Red Sea

The coal carrier that was attacked by Yemen’s Houthi militants in the Red Sea last week has sunk, salvagers confirmed on Wednesday. The vessel was struck with missiles and an explosive-laden remote-controlled boat on June 12 and had been taking on water, according to maritime security companies and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), reports Reuters.

About the Incident

The UKMTO reported on Tuesday that this ship is believed to be the second vessel sunk by the Iran-aligned Houthis in the region since November. The Houthis claim their attacks on international shipping accessing the Suez Canal via the Red Sea are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Two salvage vessels were en route to recover the ship when they were informed that the vessel had likely sunk, Andreas Tsavliris, one of the owners of Tsavliris’ Salvage, told Reuters. Naval forces notified vessels sailing in the area on Tuesday afternoon that the Liberia-flagged ship had sunk, with debris and evidence of oil present at the site.

The vessel’s manager did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. The ship was carrying 22 crew members from the Philippines who were evacuated on June 14 by military authorities and repatriated. One crew member, believed to have been working in the engine room during the attack near the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, remains missing, according to the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers.

Another ship was the first vessel sunk by the Houthis, sinking on March 2, about two weeks after being struck by missiles. Last week, the Houthis also seriously damaged a vessel loaded with wood construction materials. Sailors from this damaged vessel abandoned ship when they were unable to contain a fire sparked by the attacks. The vessel is now drifting in the Gulf of Aden, vulnerable to sinking or further assaults.