The Greek-flagged tanker ‘Sounion,’ which was hit by Houthi militants in the Red Sea this past Wednesday threatens an ecoological disaster worse than the Exxon Valdez, according to statements by the US State Department.
A press statement by US State Deparment spokesperson Matthew Miller highlights the grave concern of the US government regarding the countinous attacks of Houthis on the ship, which threaten to “spill millions of barrels of oil into the Red Sea, an amount four times the size of the Exxon Valdez disaster.”
“The Houthis have made clear they are willing to destroy the fishing industry and regional ecosystems that Yemenis and other communities in the region rely on for their livelihoods, just as they have undermined the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to the region through their reckless attacks,” added the press release.
The Attack
The Sounion, which is operated by Delta Tankers, was attacked by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and burst into flames 77 miles west of Al Hudaydah, Yemen.
The Greek-flagged tanker was struck on the starboard side and lost power, while three fires were reported aboard the tanker, abandoned by its crew.
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.
Following the attack, the ship’s engine stopped functioning and was left anchored in the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Yemen and is currently adrift.
The Ansar Allah movement (“Supporters of God”), known in the West as the Houthis, named after the family leading the group, claimed responsibility for the attack.
About the Sounion
Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion is pictured in Yarımca, Gulf of Izmit, east of Istanbul, Turkey, May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Yoruk Isik
According to Greece’s Ministry of Shipping, the Sounion was transporting 150,000 tons of crude oil to Corinth, loaded at the port of Basra in Iraq.
The EU naval mission, Operation Shield in the Red Sea, announced that it had urgently evacuated the tanker’s crew while warning of the “environmental risk” posed by the incident.
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.
