Houthi militias hijack UAE-flagged ship off coast of Al Hudaydah carrying medical equipment

The terrorist Houthi militias hijacked a UAE-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Al Hudaydah Governorate on Sunday, official spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, Brigadier General Turki Al Malki, announced.

"At (23:57) on Sunday (2nd January 2022), the Cargo Ship (RWABEE) sailing under the flag of the United Arab Emirates was targeted through 'piracy and hijacking' while sailing off the coast of Al Hudaydah Governorate," the Spokesperson was quoted by Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as saying.

The ship was conducting a maritime mission from the Island of (Socotra) to (Jazan) Port. It was carrying medical field equipment, that were used to operate the Saudi Field Hospital in the Island. The Field Hospital has concluded its mission following the establishment of a hospital on the Island.

Al Malki added that the ship’s field hospital equipment cargo includes ambulances, medical equipment, communication devices, tents, a field kitchen, field laundry units and technical and security support equipment.

"This act of Piracy by the terrorist Houthi militia is a credible threat that highlights the danger of the terrorist Houthi militia on the freedom of navigation and international trade in the South Red Sea and Bab Al Mandab Strait.

"The terrorist Houthi militia will bear full responsibility as a result of its criminal act of Piracy against the ship, which violates the customary International Humanitarian Law, the San Remo Manual on Armed Conflicts at Sea and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

"The militia must promptly release the ship, or the Coalition Forces will undertake all necessary measures and procedures to handle this violation, including the use of force if necessary," the Spokesperson concluded.

WAM