Reuters
Reuters reported on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, that the abandoned tanker "Lavant" sank near the coast of Yemen in June, after taking on water due to an engine failure.
The agency cited three sources in the Navy and security, stating that "the Lavant is the latest ship to be lost in the strategically important Red Sea, and it is believed to have sunk."
According to Reuters' maritime security sources, the abandoned tanker "Lavant" was not attacked by the Houthis. Two sources indicated that the tanker had reported an engine failure and water ingress.
Last week, Russian shipping group Sovcomflot said one of its ships responded to a distress call and rescued the crew off the coast of southern Yemen on June 23 after the sailors were evacuated in a lifeboat.
According to naval and maritime security sources, the Lavant likely sank after drifting for days. It remains unclear if the ship was carrying fuel, and the owner has not been identified for comment.
On June 24, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced that a commercial ship had experienced severe flooding near the eastern mouth of the Gulf of Aden, off the eastern coast of Yemen. The crew safely abandoned the ship.
Separately, the UKMTO reported that the master and crew of a ship 96 nautical miles southeast of the port of Nashtoon in Yemen were forced to abandon their vessel after it took on water that could not be contained.
The UKMTO added that a rescue vessel retrieved the crew, while the abandoned ship remains afloat but is sinking.
Since last November, the Houthi group, internationally designated as a terrorist organization, has been launching missile and drone attacks on commercial cargo ships in the Red Sea, leading to increased maritime insurance costs and forcing many shipping companies to opt for the much longer route around the southern tip of the African continent.
In December 2023, the United States, Israel's main ally, formed a multinational coalition to protect maritime navigation from attacks by the group designated as a terrorist organization. Meanwhile, US forces have been carrying out strikes against Houthi military targets on an intermittent basis.