Crew Abandons Ship in Red Sea Following Houthi Missile Strikes – a Historic First

In a significant development in the Red Sea, the crew of a commercial ship has abandoned their vessel following an attack by the Houthi militants. This marks the first evacuation of its kind since the militant group began posing a threat to trade in the vital waterway late last year.

According to the US Central Command, two anti-ship ballistic missiles damaged the Belize-flagged Rubymar on Sunday evening local time. A coalition warship and another merchant ship responded promptly to the distress call, facilitating the transportation of the Rubymar’s crew to a nearby port.

The Houthis have intensified their attacks off the coast of Yemen since November, targeting merchant vessels with missiles and drone strikes. The Iran-backed group claims to be targeting ships with connections to Israel, the US, and the UK, in response to the conflict in Gaza and western airstrikes.

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The Rubymar, a relatively small cargo ship, is registered to an owner in Southampton, England, as per the Equasis international maritime database. While a Houthi spokesman claimed that an attack on an unidentified British ship resulted in its complete sinking, this assertion could not be independently verified.

Centcom did not confirm whether the Rubymar had sunk in its statement, and the vessel’s owner did not respond to inquiries. The UK Maritime Trade Operations provided no further updates on the incident.

A company official at GMZ Ship Management Co. in Lebanon reported that the attacks on the Rubymar occurred in the engine room and the front of the ship. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported among the crew, who were being transferred to Djibouti.

The Suez Canal, located at the other end of the Red Sea, facilitates about 12% of global trade annually, with as much as 30% of container traffic passing through it. To avoid the attacks, a significant portion of the world’s shipping traffic is now navigating around Africa, leading to increased voyage times and costs.

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Additionally, on Monday, another ship reported two nearby explosions, with evidence of shrapnel and damage to paintwork. However, the vessel continued its journey to the next port of call. Maritime intelligence company Ambrey identified the ship as a Greece-flagged bulk commodity carrier.

The Houthis claimed to have targeted two other vessels as well, although specific details could not be immediately verified.

In response to the escalating threat, the European Union launched a defensive naval operation on Monday aimed at protecting commercial vessels from Houthi attacks. This mission, led by Greece, will accompany and safeguard ships traversing the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Persian Gulf.

Over the weekend, the US conducted five self-defense strikes against the Houthis, including one targeting an underwater vessel. Central Command noted that this was the first observed deployment of subsea attack capability since the onset of the attacks.