Iran-backed Houthi militants launched a new attack against a Greek-owned tanker off the coast of Yemen in the early hours of Wednesday.
According to initial reports, the ship that came under attack is the “Sounion,” which is under the Greek flag and belongs to the company “Delta Tankers.”
Reports suggest that the tanker was likely hit by an anti-tank weapon, possibly an RPG used by the Houthi militants, which struck the engine room. The vessel immediately sent out a distress signal in the Red Sea.
The British organization for maritime security, “United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO),” received a report on Wednesday at 6:15 a.m. (Greek time) about the incident, which occurred 77 miles west of Al Hudaydah, Yemen.
The ship was struck on the starboard side and lost power, while a fire also broke out. At present, there are no reports of injuries.
Reports indicate that the attack was carried out by two Houthi pirate boats that approached the vessel. One of the assault boats reportedly carried between two and five people, while the other had more than ten on board.
According to MarineTraffic, the “Sounion” is a tanker operated by Delta Tankers and sails under the Greek flag. It has an overall length of 274 meters and a width of 50.06 meters.
