Kategorie: News
Cargo ship Rubymar sank with 41,000 tonnes of fertiliser on board
The cargo ship "Rubymar", which was hit by a missile fired by the Yemeni Huthi militia almost two weeks ago, has sunk. This was reported by AP with reference to information from the authorities on this Saturday. It is the first ship to be sunk by the Houthis as part of their months-long attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
Fears of an imminent environmental disaster have also been raised in view of the sinking, which has been looming for days. The "Rubymar", sailing under the flag of Belize, was loaded with fertiliser. The environmental organisation Greenpeace expects serious damage to the ecosystem - primarily due to the 41,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate on board. Satellite images published by AFP from the company Maxar Technologies show that fuel is leaking from the freighter. According to the TankerTrackers website, there is a risk of "an environmental disaster in (Yemeni) territorial waters and the Red Sea". The US military command Central Command (Centcom), which is responsible for the Middle East, recently published satellite images showing an oil slick of around 30 kilometres. The ship sank in the strait between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden - the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
"If no immediate action is taken, the situation could escalate into a major environmental crisis," warned Julien Jreissati, Director of Greenpeace in the Middle East. "In addition to further leaks of fuel oil from the engines, the sinking of the ship could further damage the hull, allowing water to come into contact with the thousands of tonnes of fertiliser, which could then enter the Red Sea and disrupt the balance of marine ecosystems," said Jreissati. The consequences could trigger "cascading effects throughout the food web".
Impact on global trade
By firing on merchant ships in the Red Sea, the Houthi militia, which is allied with Iran, says it wants to force an end to the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military operation is a reaction to the terrorist attack by Islamist Hamas on 7 October.
Several Western countries, including the USA and the UK, are involved in operations to repel the attacks. The EU has also launched a military operation to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea. The sea route through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal is one of the most important trade routes in the world. Due to attacks by the Houthis, major shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe - with significant consequences for the global economy.
Images from youTube - video clip "World / News Channel"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqN90ATr8h8