Civilian sailor remains missing two days after Houthi militants hit cargo ship in Red Sea

CNN
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A civilian sailor remains missing in the Red Sea, two days after the crew of a cargo ship struck by Houthi militants abandoned their ship, US Central Command said Friday.

Wednesday’s surface-sea drone The attack on the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned and operated vessel M/V Tutor caused severe flooding and damage to the engine room, CENTCOM said. The crew abandoned ship and were rescued by U.S. and partner forces, including the USS Philippine Sea.

The cargo ship is still in the Red Sea and taking on water, CENTCOM said. The vessel is drifting from its last reported position, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations.

Iran-backed Houthi militants struck another cargo ship, the M/V Verbena, in two separate missile attacks in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, seriously injuring a civilian sailor and starting fires on board, according to the CENTCOM.

The injured sailor from the M/V Verbena was medically evacuated by air from a nearby US warship.

The crew of the Palau-flagged, Polish-operated Ukrainian cargo ship put out the fires and continued on their way, the United States said.

“This continued malicious and reckless behavior by the Iranian-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of sailors in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Houthis claim to act on behalf of the Palestinians in Gaza and yet they target and threaten the lives of third-country nationals who have nothing to do with the conflict in Gaza,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “The continued threat the Houthis pose to international trade actually makes it more difficult to deliver much-needed aid to the people of Yemen and Gaza. »

The Houthis have launched dozens of missiles and drones at ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since October, including an attack in March that killed three crew members of the M/V True Confidence, a bulk carrier flying flagged in Barbados and owned by Liberians. .

The United States and the United Kingdom have carried out several rounds of strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, including last week, in an attempt to degrade their weapons supplies. But the Houthis have shown no signs of stopping their attacks.

“The United States will continue to act with its partners to hold the Houthis accountable and degrade their military capabilities,” CENTCOM said.