Repairs to three subsea cables in the Red Sea have been completed.
The Ministries of Communications and Information Technology and Transport in Houthi-controlled Sana’a this week issued a statement on the completion of the repair work of the three submarine cables AAE-1, EIG, and Seacom in Yemeni waters.
The three cables were damaged in February. It is thought they were damaged by the dragging anchor of the Rubymar cargo ship after it was struck by missiles fired by Houthi rebels. Damaged and taking on water, the abandoned ship began drifting and it’s thought that the ship is to blame for damage caused to three cables.
The AAE-1, Seacom/TGN, and Europe India Gateway (EIG) cables were all impacted around the same time in the area where the ship was drifting.
The Houthis – officially known as Ansar Allah – have been attacking commercial ships passing by Yemeni water since November 2023.
Dozens of ships have been attacked by drones, missiles, and speedboats. The Houthis claim to only be targeting Israel-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza amid the ongoing invasion by Israel.
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As well as the former capital Sana’a, Houthi insurgents currently control large swaths of coastland and all of the former North Yemen except the eastern Marib Governorate. This has complicated and delayed repairs to the cables.
While the Houthi-controlled Ministry of Communications and Information Technology previously said it was "keen" to facilitate the repair of any submarine cables in the region, so long as parties obtain the required licenses and permits, industry experts have previously told DCD many cable ship operators will be wary of working in dangerous waters and dealing with a group designated as terrorists in the US.
Industry observer Philippe Devaux noted repairs were completed by the E-marine-owned CS Niwa after previously suspending attempts earlier this month.
“Based on the government of the Republic of Yemen's belief in the importance of protecting the infrastructure of licensed international submarine cables and its keenness on their safety," the Houthi-controlled government said.
"Given their link to the development and humanitarian fields that serve the citizens of the Republic of Yemen and the rest of the world, the Government of Yemen has provided the necessary facilities and permits from the General Authority for Maritime Affairs in Sana'a for ships to maintain those cables in the region and carry out repair work in Yemeni waters in the Red Sea smoothly and with complete success."
