Yemen’s missile attacks on occupation ships… escalate tensions in British courts
The English High Court addressed a case related to a missile attack launched by Sana’a in the Red Sea, which led to the sinking of a commercial ship, in a legal development considered the first of its kind, paving the way for more related cases in British courts, according to observers.
Follow ups – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:
In a report published by the TradeWindsNews website, it shed light on the complex legal challenges arising from maritime attacks in conflict zones, especially with the increasing risk of military operations in the Red Sea as a result of regional tensions and the escalation of Sana’a’s naval capabilities.
The TradeWindsNews website said that the case revolves around the “Roebimar” ship belonging to the “GMZ Ship Management” company, weighing 32,000 tons, which sank in the sea after being hit by two missiles launched by the Houthis in March 2024 while sailing in the Gulf of Aden. The ship drifted for two weeks after the attack before sinking completely due to water leakage into the engine room.
It indicated that the case was filed between the insurance and reinsurance company Berytus and Golden Adventure Shipping and revolved around the right of the London courts to consider the compensation claim for the total loss, amid a legal challenge from the latter party, who demanded that the case be referred to the Cypriot courts.
It is worth noting that the ship was carrying a cargo of fertilizers classified as hazardous (5.1), which increased the complexity of the rescue efforts that remained suspended due to the continuing Yemeni threat as a result of the British aggression on Yemen at the time.
Observers considered that the British court’s decision may represent a legal precedent for a growing number of claims for damages and losses resulting from the British aggression on Yemen, which led to a reaction towards British ships.
According to the website, the Commercial Court ruled in favor of the insurance companies and rejected the shipowner’s argument that the English procedures aim to prevent his lawsuit in Cyprus. The court also affirmed that Berytus has the right to pursue the case before the British courts.