Dramatic video of the crippled bulker Rubymar appeared on TV news reports in Yemen showing the increasingly precarious state of the vessel 10 days after it was struck by a Houthi-launched missile. Efforts to mount a salvage continue to be hampered by the instability of the region and the competing political interests while some reports suggest at the rate the vessel is settling it could be days before it loses sufficient buoyancy to remain afloat.
The video shows the 32,200 dwt bulker (564 feet/172 meters in length) having settled further at the stern. Images obtained by the BBC last week showed the stern deck just barely above the water but in the undated video, it has clearly slipped below the water level. U.S. Central Command warned on Friday that the vessel was still leaking fuel oil and taking on water.
The vessel is also reported to be drifting to the north in the Red Sea despite the earlier indications that it was anchored. It has traveled approximately 37 nautical miles since the reported position when it was struck according to data analyzed by the British news outlet Sky News. They are citing navigational warnings saying the vessel is unmanned and drifting.
Video of the ship “RUBYMAR” that was sunk by Yemen’s Armed Forces
— deeeeeee (@revolutionaryem) February 27, 2024
It’s at risk of “fully sinking” within 48 hours. pic.twitter.com/w6o9jMFPcU
The manager of the vessel Blue Fleet Group told Sky News it was working on plans for the salvage that would include an attempt to stop the fuel leak and tow the ship. They reported the U.S. Navy had offered assistance and said talks are ongoing to find a port willing to accept the ship. Reports have suggested the Rubymar flagged in Belize and linked to UK and Lebanese interests might be towed to Djibouti or Saudi Arabia.
The government of Yemen made statements on Monday saying it was working on the salvage. They said they would be willing to bring the ship to port. Yemeni Water and Environment Minister Tawfeeq Al-Sharjabi made the statement at a press conference in Aden according to the Saba state news agency. He expressed concerns over the environmental issues if the vessel is permitted to sink.
The Houthi leader, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, however, took to X (Twitter) writing on February 24, “It is possible to tow the sunken British ship in exchange for bringing relief trucks into Gaza. This is an offer that can be studied.”
Environmentalists are expressing concern citing the report from CENTCOM saying the cargo is 41,000 tons of fertilizer. They highlighted the 18-mile oil slick from the vessel while saying the fertilizer could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster. Earlier reports suggested the ship’s owner was hopeful to salvage the vessel and transfer the cargo to another vessel.
The ship appears to be in increasing danger while reports said salvage companies are concerned about attempting any efforts due to further threats from the Houthis. U.S. officials however have suggested a ceasefire might be put into place in Gaza to coincide with the start of Ramadan on March 10, assuming the vessel could stay afloat that many days without intervention.
Late yesterday, CENTCOM reported U.S. forces took out a range of weapons all ready to be launched following the larger U.S. and UK raids on Sunday. The report said on Monday, U.S. forces destroyed three unmanned surface vessels (USV), two mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), and a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). There were no reports on Monday and again on Tuesday that the Houthi launched any new attacks targeting vessels in the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden.
