The crew of a UK registered cargo vessel have abandoned ship, after it was struck by missiles and badly damaged off Yemen.
Lloyd's List Intelligence confirmed earlier claims by Houthi rebels that they struck the Belize-flagged, British-registered cargo ship Rubymar.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency indicated the ship had suffered serious damage after being hit by two missiles.
The UKMTO said the attack happened 35 nautical miles south of the Yemeni Red Sea port of Mocha late last night.
The Houthi spokesman said that because of the extensive damage caused by the missile strike, the ship was now at risk of sinking
Reuters
The mater of the vessel reported an explosion in close proximity to the vessel.
Yahya Sarea, spokesman for the Iran-backed Houthis, announced on Monday morning that the group's naval forces had fired a number of missiles at the "British ship Rubymar" in the Gulf of Aden.
He said: "The ship suffered catastrophic damage and came to a complete halt."
The Houthi spokesman said that because of the extensive damage caused by the missile strike, the ship was now at risk of sinking.
It is understood that the order to abandon ship was given overnight.
The maritime security firm Ambrey confirmed another incident involving a Belize-flagged, British registered cargo ship on Sunday.
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The Houthis claim the attacks are in response to the conflict in Gaza
Reuters
The vessel came under attack as it sailed north through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The ship changed course but was not damaged.
And a third attack on Sunday targeted a Greek-flagged, US-owned cargo ship.
The crew called for military assistance after an apparent missile attack around 100 nautical miles east of the southern Yemeni port of Aden.
The missile is understood to have exploded in close proximity to the vessel, but there were no reports of injuries.
The weekend incidents are a serious escalation in the continued attacks on commercial shipping in the region since last November, which the Houthis claim are a response to the conflict in Gaza.
A number of shipping firms have implemented precautionary measures, routing their vessels away from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The UK joined the US military last month in air strikes against Houthi missile launch sites and associated infrastructure.
This past weekend, the US Central Command confirmed its forces carried out further strikes in Yemen against three mobile anti-ship missiles.
The US strikes also targeted an unmanned underwater vessel and an unmanned surface vessel in Houthi controlled areas of Yemen.
Despite the military action from the US and UK, the Houthis remain defiant and have vowed to continue targeting commercial shipping linked to Israel, the United States and Britain.