RIYADH: Arab coalition naval forces rescued three fishermen whose boat sank after hitting a mine placed by Houthi militias in the Red Sea.

“At 2 a.m. on Feb. 5, coalition Naval forces responded to a communication reporting the sinking of a fishing boat in international waters in the Red Sea as a result of a naval mine explosion,” said coalition spokesman Turki Al-Maliki. “Six Egyptian fishermen were on the boat. Three of them were rescued and the other three were killed by the naval mine explosion.

“The terrorist, Iran-backed Houthi militia’s continuation of planting and deploying naval mines is a serious threat to maritime navigation and international trade in the southern Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb strait.”

Al-Maliki added that 137 Houthi mines had been found and destroyed the in southern Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb strait, and the coalition will continue its efforts to neutralize all maritime threats.

SPA