Merchant vessel sinks in Red Sea after Yemen's Houthi attack

A merchant vessel struck by the Yemeni Houthi group a few days ago has sunk in the Red Sea, reported the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British navy facility for handling international shipping emergencies, on June 18.

The Greek-owned bulk carrier "Tutor" was hit twice on June 12, approximately 66 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, Yemeni government Coast Guard officials told Xinhua shortly after the strikes.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea claimed the group targeted the ship with "an unmanned boat, several drones, and ballistic missiles," causing severe damage and putting the vessel "at risk of sinking." Sarea justified the attack by accusing the cargo ship's owner of violating a Houthi ban on entering Israeli ports.

The Coast Guard officials stated that an unmanned boat detonated at the stern, causing a significant leak in the vessel's hull. An official added that the vessel made a distress call shortly after the first attack. Despite search efforts, one crew member among the 21 multinational crew is still missing.

Following the incident, the UKMTO updated on June 15 that the crew had been evacuated by military authorities, and the vessel was abandoned and adrift.

UKMTO WARNING
INCIDENT 083 - ATTACK - UPDATE 005https://t.co/fX3hWupi7g#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/GfGflAgdZw

— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) June 18, 2024

Since last November, the Houthis have been conducting military operations in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, targeting ships they claim are Israel-linked or bound for Israel. The group, which controls much of northern Yemen and the crucial Hodeidah port, has launched attacks against commercial shipping using numerous booby-trapped boats, missiles, and drones.

These Houthi attacks occur against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, which has been ongoing for more than eight months. In response, the United States and Britain initiated a military operation in January, conducting air and missile strikes against Houthi targets within Yemen to deter the group. However, the Houthis have since expanded their targeting to include U.S. and British commercial and military vessels in retaliation.