A rescue mission was underway Monday for an oil tanker nonetheless ablaze after being attacked by Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen final month, in accordance with US Central Command.
The Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion was hit by the Huthis off the coast of Hodeida on August 21 whereas carrying 150,000 metric tons of crude oil.
In a put up on X, CENTCOM stated “salvage efforts are underway” within the southern Crimson Sea for the disabled vessel, “which remains to be on hearth and threatens the potential for a serious environmental catastrophe.”
The Iran-backed rebels stated they’d booby-trapped and detonated prices on the ship.
CENTCOM condemned such Huthi assaults as “reckless” and promised to “proceed to work with worldwide companions and allies” to guard commerce and mitigate environmental impacts within the area.
The European Union’s Crimson Sea naval mission, Aspides, stated earlier within the day that it could “present safety to the tug boats, that can take care of the salvage operation and facilitate their efforts to forestall an environmental catastrophe,” in accordance with a put up on X.
“A number of fires proceed to burn on the vessel’s important deck,” the mission added, noting that there have been “no seen indicators of an oil spill.”
The Sounion’s crew, made up of 23 Filipinos and two Russians, was rescued the day after the assault by a French frigate serving with Aspides.
The EU naval power was fashioned in February to guard service provider vessels within the Crimson Sea from assaults by the Huthi rebels, who’ve waged a marketing campaign towards worldwide delivery that they are saying is meant to indicate solidarity with Palestinian group Hamas in its conflict with Israel within the Gaza Strip.
In response to the UK Maritime Commerce Operations (UKMTO) company, two different ships have been struck in assaults off the coast of Yemen on Monday.
CENTCOM reported the 2 ships have been each crude oil tankers, one flagged by Panama and the opposite flagged by Saudi Arabia, with the latter vessel carrying roughly two million barrels of crude oil.
