The UN has invited donor countries to contribute to the costs of cleaning up pollution caused by the sinking of the British Rubymar following a Houthi rebels attack off the coast of Mocha in February, revealed Yemeni Internationally Recognized Government (IRG) sources.
“The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued a call for contributions of donor countries to help clean up pollution that has begun to emerge due to the sinking of Rubymar in Yemen, following a missile strike launched by the Iranian-backed Houthis,” the sources said.
Five months ago, the cargo ship Rubymar was targeted by a Houthi ballistic missile, and two weeks later, it sank off the coast of Mocha with approximately 22,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate-sulphate fertilizer, 200 tons of heavy fuel oil, and 80 tons of marine diesel on board.
IMO said the ship sank in approximately 100m of water and resulted in a 29-km oil slick in the days following the incident.
The ship is currently partially submerged at the location of its sinking, with the remaining bunker fuel and fertilizer cargo onboard representing a significant environmental threat to Yemen, in particular to the nearby Hanish Islands, a biologically rich area, it added.
IOM said it takes the opportunity to invite in-kind contributions of spill response equipment in support of Yemen in the face of this environmental threat, recognizing the lack of specialized oil spill response equipment within the country to respond to a possible leak from the ship.
The 49-item list of equipment needed to respond to this environmental disaster includes equipment for marine containment and recovery operations, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROUV or ROV).
The Yemeni IRG has been insistent that the international community offer immediate assistance to handle the Rubymar ship and retrieve it to prevent its cargo from spilling into the sea.