RIYADH — Arab Coalition naval forces rescued three fishermen whose boat sank after hitting a mine placed by Houthi militias in the Red Sea, Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.

A statement by the official spokesman of the Arab Coalition Col. Turki Al-Maliki said that “On Wednesday, 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.”

Six Egyptian fishermen were on the boat, three of them were rescued, and the other three lost their lives in the naval mine explosion, Al-Maliki said.

“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 south of Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.”

“The Coalition will carry on its efforts to neutralize maritime and naval mine threats,” Al-Maliki added.

A total of 137 mines, planted and deployed indiscriminately by the Houthi militia in south of Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, were discovered and destroyed. — SPA