Yemen’s Environmental Chief to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Urge Swift Action for Sinking 'Rubymar'

A satellite image of the British ship targeted by the Houthis in the Red Sea (AFP)
A satellite image of the British ship targeted by the Houthis in the Red Sea (AFP)
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Yemen’s Environmental Chief to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Urge Swift Action for Sinking 'Rubymar'

A satellite image of the British ship targeted by the Houthis in the Red Sea (AFP)
A satellite image of the British ship targeted by the Houthis in the Red Sea (AFP)

With limited resources, the Yemeni government is racing against time to tackle an environmental crisis caused by the sinking of the UK-registered ship “Rubymar” in the Red Sea.

The sinking of the Rubymar, which carried a cargo of fertilizer and oils and previously leaked fuel, could cause ecological damage to the Red Sea and its coral reefs, according to the head of Yemen’s General Authority for Environmental Protection, Faisal Al-Thalabi.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Yemen’s environmental chief revealed that the sunken ship “holds 200 tons of diesel and 80 tons of mazut (fuel oil), both highly dangerous.”

“These substances will seriously harm the Red Sea's unique wildlife and pollute nearby shores and islands,” warned Al-Thalabi.

“The attack on the ship by the Iran-backed Houthi group caused its sinking, complicating rescue efforts,” he added.

The Belize-flagged Rubymar had been drifting northward after being struck by a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile on February 18 in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Al-Thalabi cautioned that the environmental damage from the sunken ship will spread to both surface and nearby groundwater wells near the pollution sites.

Desalination plants, which rely on seawater for drinking water in islands or nearby areas, will also be affected.

Al-Thalabi explained that besides fuel leakage, the marine environment will also be contaminated by phosphate and sulfur fertilizers reacting with seawater.

This reaction releases sulfur and phosphorus ions, reducing oxygen levels and harming marine biodiversity.

Al-Thalabi pointed out that sea pollution will fuel algae growth, depleting oxygen and blocking sunlight for marine life.

He emphasized that these substances, leaking into the seas or sewage systems, harm both the environment and human health.

Government Action

Regarding what actions the government can take with limited resources, Al-Thalabi noted the government recently forming a crisis team, which has taken various measures.

The measures include tracking the ship’s owner and flag state and urging its retrieval.

“Unfortunately, these calls haven’t received responses yet,” said Al-Thalabi.

“Simultaneously, the state has taken urgent steps. A team was sent to inspect the ship, and a contract was made with a specialized company for its salvage,” he added.

According to Al-Thalabi, meetings were held with relief organizations, the United Nations, the International Maritime Organization, and others.

“An appeal was made, highlighting the urgent need for assistance in finding solutions to the challenging situation,” he explained.

The Yemeni official stressed that while the government’s crisis cell is always active, the urgency for immediate solutions has intensified following the ship’s sinking.

Regarding the immediate response to the sinking, Al-Thalabi explained that authorities have enacted a plan, including worst-case scenarios, monitoring coastal areas with the Maritime Affairs Authority cooperating with various groups.

Regarding the possibility of the ship’s hull breaking, causing the sinking, Al-Thalabi suggested this might be a factor due to possible damage from the Houthi missile strike.

However, confirmation requires specialized teams to assess the seabed, which has been delayed due to adverse weather conditions, clarified Al-Thalabi.

He mentioned that a team from the Maritime Affairs Authority, tasked with combating marine pollution, went to the Port of Mokha. After their mission, the crisis cell will have full information in the coming two days.

Urgent Call to Action

With growing concerns about the disastrous environmental impact of the shipwreck, Yemen’s Prime Minister has urged swift international action to address the situation.

During a meeting with US Ambassador Steven Fagin in Riyadh, Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak warned of a major environmental catastrophe caused by the sinking of the ship.

The premier emphasized the need for international cooperation, urging the formation of an emergency team to rescue the Red Sea and tackle the environmental crisis.



US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
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US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)

The United States is deferring the removal of certain Lebanese citizens from the country, President Joe Biden said on Friday, citing humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deferred designation, which lasts 18 months, allows Lebanese citizens to remain in the country with the right to work, according to a memorandum Biden sent to the Department of Homeland Security.

"Humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon have significantly deteriorated due to tensions between Hezbollah and Israel," Biden said in the memo.

"While I remain focused on de-escalating the situation and improving humanitarian conditions, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Lebanese nationals who are present in the United States."

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel's military assault in Gaza.

The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

On the Israeli side, 10 Israeli civilians, a foreign agricultural worker and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. Tens of thousands have been evacuated from both sides of the border.