Aden (South24) 

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The Internationally Recognized Yemeni Government announced today that the UK owned cargo ship Rubymar, which was attacked by Houthis last month and suffered extensive damage, has sunk in the Red Sea after days of taking on water.

The ’Crisis Cell‘ formed by the Yemeni government to handle the issue of Rubymar in the wake of the oil leak from the ship, said today that the Belize-flagged vessel sank yesterday evening (March 1), following strong winds at sea.

"The result was expected after the ship was left to its fate for more than 12 days and there was no response to the Yemeni government's appeals to prevent the catastrophe caused by the terrorist militias," the statement added.

The statement also held the Houthi militia responsible for the “environmental disaster” following an 18-mile oil slick from the ship and the danger of its toxic cargo, comprising large quantities of ammonia and oils, spilling into the Red Sea. 

It held the Iran-backed Houthis responsible “for the repercussions of their continued targeting of maritime shipping vessels” on the humanitarian situation in Yemen and countries of the region, as well as the threat to international peace and security, Saba reported.

The Crisis Cell said it is "discussing the next steps and determining the best ways to deal with the repercussions and address the environmental disaster resulting from the incident."

خلية الأزمة المشكلة من الحكومة اليمنية للتعامل مع السفينة " #روبيمار " تعلن عن غرق السفينة التي تحمل علم بيليز قبالة السواحل اليمنية، وذلك بعد هجومين إرهابيين للمليشيات #الحوثية المدعومة من النظام الإيراني..معربة عن أسفها لهذا التطور الذي سيسبب كارثة بيئية في المياه الإقليمية… pic.twitter.com/d6ZXX1Cjtt

— رئاسة مجلس الوزراء اليمني (@Yemen_PM) March 2, 2024

Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak said on X: “The sinking of the Rubymar ship is an environmental catastrophe that Yemen and the region have never seen before. It is a new tragedy for our country and our people.”

غرق السفينة #روبيمار كارثة بيئية لم تعهدها اليمن والمنطقة هي مأساة جديدة لبلادنا وشعبنا، ندفع في كل يوم ثمن مغامرات مليشيا #الحوثي التي لم تكتف باغراق #اليمن في كارثة الانقلاب والحرب وما تمخض عنها من مآسي لحقت بكل أسرة يمنية، صنع كارثة انسانية تهدد حياة شعبنا والاجيال لعشرات…

— Ahmed A. BinMubarak (@BinmubarakAhmed) March 2, 2024

"Every day we pay the price for the adventures of the Houthi militia, which was not satisfied with plunging Yemen into the catastrophe of the coup and war," he added.

On February 18, the Houthis attacked Rubymar with two missiles, damaging its front. The crew was evacuated but water continued to pour into the ship as the days passed.

On February 24, the US Central Command said in a post on X that a fuel leak from Rubymar had created an 18-mile-long oil slick in the Red Sea.

On Feb. 18 between 9:30 p.m. and 10:40 p.m., Iran-backed Houthi terrorists attacked the M/V Rubymar, a Belize-flagged, UK-owned bulk carrier. The ship is anchored but slowly taking on water. The unprovoked and reckless attack by Iran-backed Houthi terrorists caused significant… pic.twitter.com/bU6j850wwG

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 24, 2024

The statement said that the ship was transporting more than 41,000 tons of fertilizer when it was attacked.

On the same day, the Yemeni government called on all countries, organizations and bodies concerned with preserving the marine environment to quickly deal with the crisis of the ship “Rubymar”.

The government statement indicated that Rubymar was carrying large quantities of ammonia and oils.

On Thursday (February 29), local sources said that another Houthi attack using a drone targeted the vicinity of the ship Rubymar off the Yemeni city of Mokha.

The attack caused the death and injury of two Yemeni fishermen on board a boat, according to an official Yemeni government statement published yesterday.