A Greek-flagged oil tanker has been engulfed in multiple fires in the Red Sea following an attack by Yemeni Houthi militants.
The vessel, named the Sounion, was the target of assaults by the Iran-aligned Houthi group earlier this week, prompting an international rescue operation that saw its 25-member crew evacuated.
The attacks are part of a broader Houthi campaign linked to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The group has launched numerous assaults on commercial shipping in recent months as part of their declared support for Palestinians.
The Sounion, operated by Athens-based Delta Tankers, was the latest casualty in this campaign. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, asserting that it was in retaliation for the tanker’s violation of a ban on entering what they refer to as “the ports of occupied Palestine.”
The first reports of damage to the Sounion emerged on Wednesday, when repeated Houthi strikes caused significant fires and rendered the vessel immobile, with a complete loss of engine power. The crew was rescued by a European warship stationed nearby, leaving the stricken tanker anchored between Yemen and Eritrea. On Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that three fires continued to burn aboard the drifting vessel.
Houthi forces released a video on social media that purportedly showed them setting the tanker ablaze, adding fuel to the ongoing crisis. The ship, carrying an estimated 150,000 metric tons of crude oil, presents a significant environmental threat to the Red Sea region. According to the EU’s Red Sea naval mission, Aspides, the potential for an oil spill looms large, with disastrous consequences for marine ecosystems if containment efforts fail.
Environmental concerns were also voiced by the Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority, which warned of the severe ecological damage that could result from such an incident. Past oil spills of similar scale have caused long-term damage to maritime environments. The most severe ship-sourced oil spill occurred in 1979, when the Atlantic Empress released nearly 287,000 tonnes of oil into the Caribbean Sea following a collision with another crude carrier.
This marks the third time in a month that Delta Tankers has found itself targeted by the Houthis. The group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, stated during a televised address that these attacks are aimed at preventing vessels from accessing ports in Israel and territories they control.
Delta Tankers has released a statement acknowledging the attack but refrained from providing specific details due to ongoing security concerns. “Delta Tankers is doing everything it can to move the vessel and cargo,” the statement read, but the company did not disclose further information on recovery efforts or plans for the damaged tanker.
Read also:
Russia’s Attempt to Arm Houthi Rebels in Yemen Thwarted by US-Saudi Diplomatic Efforts
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