The cables were possibly cut by the sinking Rubymar, a ship attacked by the Houthis.
Topline
At least four undersea fiber optic cables, which carry approximately 97% of all Internet traffic, were damaged last week in the Red Sea, telecommunications providers are reporting, and instability in Yemen threatens to prevent operators from fixing them immediately.Key Facts
HGC Communications, a telecom operator in Hong Kong, reported the four cables that were “cut” in the Red Sea: SEACOM, TGN, Africa Asia Europe-One and the Europe India Gateway.
HGC said that the damage has impacted an estimated 25% of their internet traffic, which is now being rerouted through mainland China and east through the United States.
SEACOM, an African provider based in Mauritius, confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that their cable in the Red Sea was damaged, and that repairs would have to wait until at least the second quarter of 2024 due to ongoing instability in the region.
The Europe India Gateway cable was built by a consortium of investors, including American telecom giants AT&T and Verizon, but as of Monday neither company confirmed if service has been affected.
