Houthi rebels fired on the cargo ship in mid-February. The ship Rubymar was damaged and the crew was evacuated. The ship had previously been left abandoned in the Red Sea. The ship carried fertilisers, ammonia and oil. That’s why there are fears of major environmental damage now that it has sunk.
The Houthi rebels in Yemen have been carrying out missile and drone attacks on international shipping for months. They want Israel to stop the fighting in the Gaza Strip and are trying to apply pressure.
Since January, the Americans and British have responded with air strikes against the Houthis. They receive support from a number of other Western countries, including the Netherlands.
The British Navy received another report on Saturday of another ship sinking west of the Yemeni coastal city of Mokha. According to the Navy, the ship has been docked and the crew has since been evacuated.
