Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), made a statement about this hot topic during a London press conference.
He mentioned that recent drone and missile attacks by Houthi militants in the region have made it unsafe for salvage teams to intervene. Over 65 merchant ships have been targeted in the past months, with Houthi forces aligning with Hamas in the conflict with Israel.
Two ships, the Rubymar and the True Confidence, were among those attacked. The Rubymar, a bulk carrier, sank recently, causing an oil spill and concerns about its fertilizer cargo. The True Confidence was abandoned after an attack near Yemen's port of Aden, resulting in casualties.
Despite offers of assistance from the Indian Navy, concerns about safety have prevented any action to tow away the True Confidence.
Dominguez emphasized the limitations in addressing these incidents in an unsafe environment like the Red Sea.
