Abandoned at sea, Houthi-damaged ship awaits towing to Saudi Arabia amid oil slick concerns

The Iran-backed militant group claimed it dealt “catastrophic damage” during a Feb. 18 offensive against the Belize-flagged general cargo vessel Rubymar, which the Houthis said was “at risk of potential sinking in the Gulf of Aden.” The tanker’s crew abandoned ship.

The attack caused “an 18-mile oil slick,” the U.S. Central Command said in a social media update on Feb. 24, adding that the tanker is anchored, but taking on water.

“The M/V Rubymar was transporting over 41,000 tons of fertilizer when it was attacked, which could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster,” Centcom said.

Roy Khoury, CEO of the Rubymar’s shipping broker Blue Fleet Group, told CNBC that the vessel is now awaiting the assistance of the U.S. navy to tow the ship to Saudi port Jeddah, as neither Aden nor the authorities of Djibouti, located opposite of Yemen, have accepted to receive the tanker on their grounds.

The Saudi foreign ministry, U.S. navy and U.S. defense department did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment on whether they will accept or facilitate delivery of the tanker.

Khoury added that, as the Rubymar’s crew has deserted the ship, his company has no information on the status of a possible oil leak.

A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization told CNBC that the organization is aware of the incident and closely monitoring the situation. As the IMO lacks operational facilities such as satellites, it also did not independently verify the oil slick.

The Rubymar’s casualty has erupted concerns over the environmental impairment of such attacks. Oil spills are widely feared for their broad and long-lasting environmental impact on marine habitats, including toxic exposure for vulnerable wildlife.