In the Red Sea, another ship, the Tutor, has been reportedly sunk by Yemen's Houthi militants, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. The vessel, a Greek-owned coal carrier, was struck by missiles and an explosive-laden remote-controlled boat last Wednesday and began taking on water, as confirmed by previous reports from UKMTO, the Houthis, and other sources.
"Maritime debris and oil have been observed at the last known location of the Tutor," stated UKMTO, a division of the Royal Navy, in a security update.
Efforts to reach the Tutor's management for comment were unsuccessful. One crew member, believed to have been in the ship's engine room during the attacks, remains missing.
This incident follows the sinking of the UK-owned Rubymar on March 2, also attributed to Houthi missile strikes. The UKMTO's report of the Tutor's sinking comes a week after the Houthis severely damaged the Liberia-flagged ship and the Palau-flagged Verbena, which was carrying wood construction materials.
Sailors aboard the Verbena had to abandon ship after failing to contain a fire sparked by the attacks. The Verbena is now adrift in the Gulf of Aden, vulnerable to further assaults or sinking.
In response to these attacks, U.S. and British forces conducted airstrikes on Monday targeting Yemen's Hodeidah International Airport and Kamaran Island near the port of Salif on the Red Sea coast.
Since November, the Iran-aligned Houthis have targeted commercial ships in the Red Sea region, claiming these actions are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. These attacks have forced shipping companies to reroute vessels away from the Suez Canal, leading to delays and increased costs in global trade.
In November, the Houthis seized another vessel, the Galaxy Leader cargo ship. On Tuesday, the ship's manager renewed calls for the Houthis to release the 25 crew members who have been held captive for seven months.
