Pollution Threatens Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and Red Sea After Sinking of "Magic Seas" Ship

A prominent Yemeni official has warned of a major environmental disaster threatening the Yemeni coast and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, following the attack by Houthi militias on the commercial cargo ship "Magic Seas" using explosive-laden boats and drones, resulting in the complete sinking of the ship in the Red Sea off the coast of Al Hudaydah Governorate.

The ship, owned by a Greek company and registered under the Liberian flag, was carrying 35,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly dangerous and explosive material used in fertilizer production, putting the entire region on the brink of an environmental, health, and humanitarian catastrophe if this substance leaks into the water.

Engineer Fathi Atta, Director General of Environmental Protection in Al Hudaydah Governorate, stated that the Houthi "barbaric and irresponsible" attack poses not only a security threat but also a dual crime against the marine environment and the economic livelihood of thousands of fishermen who rely on the Red Sea coast as their daily source of income.

He explained that potential marine pollution could extend from the Midi coast in the north to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait in the south, indicating that the disaster "will not be limited to Al Hudaydah Governorate alone, but will extend to the coasts of all countries bordering the Red Sea, threatening the biological diversity, coral reefs, and fragile marine life in the region."

Atta warned that the damages are not limited to direct fuel or ammonium nitrate leaks, but also include:

_ Destruction of coral reefs

_ Contamination of marine life

_ Decrease in biological diversity

_ Severe economic losses for the region's fishermen

He emphasized that these damages could extend in the medium and long term, transforming the Red Sea from a vital international shipping lane into a hotspot for global environmental pollution.

In conclusion, Atta urgently appealed to the United Nations, international environmental organizations, and countries bordering the Red Sea to intervene immediately and provide technical and logistical support to contain the effects of the disaster, warning that local capabilities are insufficient to confront this huge threat.

The British maritime security company "Ambrey" confirmed the complete sinking of the "Magic Seas" ship after the Houthi attack, which forced the crew to evacuate and be rescued by lifeboats.

They were rescued by the ship "Seven Breeze" in the Red Sea, in an incident documented by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs with photos showing the crew's rescue.

Atta pointed out that the repeated Houthi attacks on commercial ships and fuel tankers in the Red Sea are no longer just local or regional threats, but represent a threat to international environmental security, calling for a firm deterrent to stop these destructive practices that could lead to dire consequences.