MV Rubymar sinking

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued an urgent appeal for in-kind donations of oil spill response equipment, including a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV), to support the Republic of Yemen in addressing the environmental disaster caused by the sinking of the MV Rubymar. The Belize-flagged bulk carrier, with a capacity of 32,200 deadweight tons (dwt), sank off Yemen’s coast in March 2024 following a missile attack by Houthi forces on February 18. The vessel, which was carrying 41,000 tons of ammonium phosphate-sulfate fertilizer, 200 tons of heavy fuel oil, and 80 tons of marine diesel, was abandoned in the Red Sea after the attack. The resulting oil spill, which stretched 29 kilometers, poses a significant environmental threat, particularly to the ecologically sensitive Hanish Islands.