A vessel is believed to have sunk in the Red Sea a week after Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacked the ship, UK authorities have said.

Maritime debris and oil have been sighted in the vessel’s last reported location in the Red Sea.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency, part of Britain’s Royal Navy, said this late on Tuesday.

The vessel was attacked on June 12 while it was sailing off the coast of Yemen.

It was hit twice but the crew was evacuated, UKMTO said.

Last week, the U.S. Central Command said that an unmanned surface vessel launched by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels had hit a Greek-owned and operated ship off the coast of Yemen.

The hit caused severe flooding and damage to the ship’s engine room.

The Houthis have controlled parts of Yemen since 2014 but targeting ships bound for Israeli ports or those owned by Israeli companies in the Red and Arabian seas.

They have also been targeting the Indian Ocean for months, in what they said was retaliation for Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.

The militia also attacked U.S. and British ships off Yemen after the two countries began launching strikes on areas under the group’s control.

The U.S., Britain and other Western countries had launched operations to protect ships in the region. 

(dpa/NAN)