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Six Days Adrift: Tragedy Strikes Migrant Boat off Greek Coast

  Twenty-two migrants lost their lives off the coast of Greece after spending six harrowing days at sea in a rubber boat that had departed from Tobruk, Libya. According to survivor accounts and Greek coastguard reports, the passengers became disoriented during the journey and were left without food or water, leading to fatal exhaustion.  Rescue teams recovered 26 survivors, including a woman and a minor, near the island of Crete. Several survivors reported that the bodies of those who died were thrown overboard on the orders of smugglers accompanying the group. Greek authorities have since arrested two South Sudanese men, aged 19 and 22, suspected of human trafficking and negligent homicide.  The tragedy highlights the ongoing dangers faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe via the Mediterranean, a route that continues to claim lives despite increased border controls and international attention. Poor weather, overcrowded vessels, and lack of supplies remain persis...
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Ship Attacked by Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Sinks in Red Sea: First Vessel Lost in Conflict

 

On Saturday, March 2, 2024, the Belize-flagged ship Rubymar met a tragic fate in the Red Sea. After days of battling the relentless onslaught of water, it succumbed to its watery grave, becoming the first vessel fully destroyed in the ongoing conflict.

The Rubymar had been drifting northward, a mere shadow of its former self, after being struck by a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile on February 18. The attack occurred in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway that links the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Yemen’s internationally recognized government, along with a regional military official, confirmed the ship’s tragic fate.

The sinking of the Rubymar reverberates far beyond its steel hull. As ships navigate the Red Sea, a vital artery for cargo and energy shipments between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, the Houthi attacks have already disrupted maritime traffic. Many vessels have rerouted to avoid the danger zone. Now, with the Rubymar’s demise, further detours and higher insurance rates may plague the waterway, potentially impacting global inflation and aid shipments to the region.

The Rubymar carried a cargo of fertilizer, and fuel leaked from its battered frame. The U.S. military’s Central Command had previously warned that this combination could cause ecological damage to the Red Sea. Yemen’s exiled government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition since 2015, lamented the ship’s sinking as an “unprecedented environmental disaster.” Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak expressed his anguish, stating, “It’s a new disaster for our country and our people.”

Curiously, the Iran-backed Houthis, who had initially claimed the ship sank almost instantly after the attack, remained silent about the Rubymar’s final plunge. Their lack of acknowledgment adds to the mystery surrounding this maritime tragedy.

The Rubymar’s fate serves as a stark reminder of the human and environmental toll exacted by conflict. As the waves close over its wreckage, the Red Sea bears witness to yet another chapter in a long and troubled history.

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