The Houtis’ actions could have disastrous consequences for the environment, local populations and security in the region.
On February 18, at least one missile launched by the Houthis hit the Belize-flagged cargo ship Rubymar in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Since then, the crew has been evacuated, and the vessel is listing heavily and gradually sinking into the sea.
The vessel’s operator said it was being towed to Djibouti but could still sink.
A major risk of an environmental disaster for the region.
Indeed, the spillage of fertilizer and oil from the ship’s tanks into the ocean could cause an oil spill limited to the capacity of its tanks, but above all, the risk of a massive fertilizer spill could have a major impact on the fauna and flora of the region, through nitrogen enrichment or temporary acidification of the ocean.
As a result, the region’s entire fishing industry could be impacted, not only by the scarcity of fish in the area, but also by a health risk for the populations who eat the local fish.
To date, the first victims of the Houthi strikes are ultimately the local populations and all the flora and fauna in the region, including in Yemen.
Given the critical nature of the merchant ship’s cargo, and its heavy list, any attempt to tow, repair or even refloat the vessel seems too risky to attempt, and portends an environmental catastrophe for the region.
This is not the first time the region has been threatened with environmental disaster.
SFO Safer, an aging Yemeni ship filled with oil was threatening to sink and cause the worst maritime ecological disaster in history.
With the war in Yemen had suspended maintenance operations on the FSO Safer, and its structural integrity had deteriorated considerably. For years, UN officials had been warning of the risks to the Red Sea and Yemen’s coastline.
The Sana’a-based authorities signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations on March 5, 2022, creating a framework for cooperation in which they pledge to facilitate the success of clean-up operations. The operations coordinated by the United Nations came to an end on Tuesday August 29. Between July 25 and August 11, 1.14 million barrels of oil were pumped out.
According to the initial United Nations plan of April 2022, the budget for the two phases of the operation amounted to 144 million dollars.
