Yemen races to avert environmental disaster as Houthi-damaged ship leaks oil in Red Sea

ADEN, Yemen, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni government announced Monday that it is scrambling to avert an environmental disaster in the Red Sea after the Houthi group attacked a cargo ship last week and caused it to take on water and leak oil.

Speaking at a press conference in Aden, Yemeni Minister of Water and Environment Tawfiq Al-Sharjabi warned that "the situation is deeply worrying, and authorities are taking every measure to deal with possible disasters as the 171-meter bulk carrier ship, identified as 'the Rubymar,' began leaking oil."