A salvage operation for the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion, off the coast of southwest Yemen, which is still ablaze following the attack of Houthi rebels last month, is underway, according to the U.S Central Command (CENTICOM) responsible for the Middle East.
The oil tanker, carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, was repeatedly hit by the Iran-aligned rebels on Aug. 21, off the coast of Hodeidah in the southern Red Sea, a region plagued by Houthi attacks and attempted piracy.
The Shiite Houthi movement, allied with Iran, claimed responsibly for striking the vessel with drones and missiles, while later claiming to have planted explosives on the tanker, which caused the fires on the bridge. The rebels finally granted ‘permission’ for the vessel to be towed to a safe port to prevent an environmental catastrophe in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from a massive oil spill.
CENTCOM stated via X (formerly Twitter) that a “rescue operation is currently underway” for the Sounion, which “is still on fire” and poses a risk of a “major environmental catastrophe.”
Earlier on Monday night, the European Union’s naval mission Operation Aspides (Shields) announced it would guarantee the protection of the tugboats undertaking the salvage and rescue operation and facilitate their efforts to avoid an environmental disaster.
According to the same source, fires are still burning on the main bridge of the ship, but there is no indication of a crude oil leak, so far.
The tanker’s 25-member crew, consisting of 23 Filipinos and two Russian nationals, was rescued by a French frigate participating in the EU’s operation the day after the attack.
The Sounion is the third ship owned by the Athens-based Delta Tankers that was attacked this month by the extremist rebels in the Red Sea.
