Houthis escalate maritime attacks: Greek ship sinks, U.S. rescues crew
6:34 AM EDT, June 19, 2024
A Greek bulk carrier, the Tutor, sank in the Red Sea, the British maritime trade operations agency (UKMTO) reported. The ship was attacked by Houthi rebels from Yemen last Wednesday. U.S. naval forces evacuated its crew on Saturday, but one sailor did not survive.
The bulk carrier Tutor, sailing under the flag of Liberia and transporting coal, was severely damaged after being hit by an unmanned boat loaded with explosives and a ballistic missile. It began to leak, and I was unable to maneuver.
NAVCENT reported that the crew was rescued on Saturday, although one civilian sailor went missing.
The British Maritime Trade Operations Agency (UKMTO) announced on Saturday that Tutor is adrift in the Red Sea after the crew's evacuation.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) informed that within the last 24 hours, it had destroyed eight Houthi drones in Yemen and one over the Gulf of Aden.
CENTCOM reported on the social media platform X that no injuries or damage to American, coalition, or protected commercial ships occurred as a result of the drone shootdowns.
Houthis threaten trade
Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden since November of last year in solidarity with Palestinians fighting the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip.
The escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict came after an attack by Hamas militants on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people and the kidnapping of over 250 as hostages. According to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 37,000 Palestinians were killed in Israel's retaliatory operation in the Gaza Strip.
