Moment 'Houthi drones' slam into enormous 750ft cargo ship sparking deadly explosion before vessel sank in latest attack in the Red Sea
Houthi footage shows moment a barrage of rockets hit Greek-owned MV Tutor
By ELENA SALVONI and AP
PUBLISHED: 05:44 EDT, 20 June 2024 | UPDATED: 06:55 EDT, 20 June 2024
A 750ft cargo ship has sunk in the Red Sea days after Yemen's Houthi rebels said they launched a blistering drone attack on the vessel, reportedly killing one mariner on board.
Dramatic footage released by the group shows the moment a barrage of rockets slammed into the MV Tutor, with a direct hit triggering a huge explosion after striking the centre of the defenceless coal carrier.
It would be the second ship sunk as part of the rebels' campaign targeting Red Sea shipping after the Rubymar, which was carrying more than 41,000 tonnes of fertiliser, went down in March around two weeks after being struck by missiles.
The sinking of the Tutor marks what appears to be a new escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis in their campaign of attacks on ships in the vital maritime corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
The attack comes despite a months-long US-led campaign in the region that has seen the Navy face its most-intense maritime fighting since World War II, with near-daily attacks targeting commercial vessels and warship.