A Greek-owned vessel, named Tutor, was attacked by Yemen’s militant group, the Houthis, in the Red Sea on Wednesday, leading to severe damage and flooding in the engine room. The attack has left the ship adrift and unable to maneuver. According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the vessel was abandoned shortly after the attack.
One crew member from the Liberia-flagged coal carrier remains missing, and most of the 22-member crew were evacuated after the attack. The Philippine president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has confirmed that Philippine authorities are coordinating with the UKMTO to repatriate the crew members to Djibouti and eventually bring them home.
The Iran-backed Houthi group has claimed responsibility for the missile strike on Tutor, as well as another vessel, Verbena, in the Gulf of Aden, over the past days. These attacks mark a concerning increase in the effectiveness of the Houthis’ strikes.
The Houthis have used drones and missiles to target ships in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden since November, primarily to express solidarity with Palestine amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. In the course of these attacks, the Houthis have sunk one ship, seized another vessel, and killed three seafarers in separate incidents.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has raised alarm over the escalating situation, with Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez emphasizing that ‘this situation cannot go on.’
Tsavliris Salvage Group has been tasked with towing the damaged ship, which was carrying approximately 80,000 tonnes of coal. It is not the first time a vessel attacked by the Houthis has drifted aimlessly into the sea. In March, the Rubymar bulk carrier, laden with thousands of tonnes of fertilizer, sank in the Red Sea after its hull was damaged in a Houthi missile strike.