Iran-backed Yemeni Shiite Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a small craft and missile attack on a Greek cargo ship that suffered a breach and was in distress in the Red Sea near the port of Hodeidah in Yemen, BTA reported.
According to the Houthis, the vessel, which is called "Tutor" (Tutor) and used to carry coal, is badly damaged and may sink. The rebels, who control the capital Sanaa and the most densely populated areas in Yemen, said they attacked the ship with a surface-to-air drone, unmanned aerial vehicles and ballistic missiles.
In November, the Houthis began attacking international shipping in the Red Sea region in solidarity with the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas. The balance of their attacks is one submerged vessel, one hijacked ship and three sailors killed.
According to the British Merchant Shipping Organisation, which acts as a liaison between the ship's operating companies and the military and security forces, the Liberian-flagged Tutor has a breach through which it entered water, and his crew lost control of him. The cause, according to the Organization, was damage to the engine room.
According to her data, a small white vessel hit the rear of the ship, after which "Tutor" was hit in the air by an "unknown projectile".
"He was hit twice by air and water. There are no reports of casualties," a Greek ministry representative told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The ship was sailing to India.
"Tutor" was loaded on May 18 at the port of Ust-Luga in Russia and unloaded on June 9 at Port Said, Egypt, according to data from the London Commodity Exchange. The next destination was the Jordanian port of Aqaba.
The attack was also confirmed by the Central Command of the US Armed Forces (CENTCOM). From there, they add that the ship really has heavy damage and is filling with water, as a result of a breach in the engine room, and they confirm that the vessel was in Russia.
CENTCOM said that over the past 24 hours, its forces destroyed three anti-ship cruise missile launchers in areas controlled by the Houthis, as well as an unmanned aerial vehicle launched from those areas.