Crew abandons bulk carrier with fertilizers off Yemen after nearby explosion

The crew of bulk carrier Rubymar abandoned ship carrying fertilizers to Morocco after an explosion in nearby waters that caused some damage to the vessel, according to ship security and tracking services.

The incident at 20:00 GMT on Feb. 18 occurred 35 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen, the UK Maritime Trade Operations said on X, formerly Twitter. Military authorities said the crew abandoned ship. It is the first ship attack near the Red Sea since Feb. 12, when missiles were launched against MV Star Iris, a Greek-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel transiting the Red Sea carrying corn from Brazil.

Missiles were fired targeting British ship Rubymar, causing "catastrophic damages" and is at risk of sinking, according to a statement by a spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces controlled by the Houthis.

Belize-flagged Rubymar is carrying phosphate fertilizers from Ras Al Khair, Saudi Arabia, to Morocco, with the last observed port Khor Fakkan near Fujairah, in the UAE, according to S&P Global Commodities at Sea ship tracking. GMZ Ship Management in Athens referred an S&P Global Commodity Insights' call inquiring about the incident to the GMZ Ship Management Lebanon office, which did not answer the phone.