A salvage operation to tow the crew-less Greek-owned tanker Sounion to safety was suspended on Tuesday, with the crude oil-laden vessel located at some 72 nautical miles from the southwest Yemen coast in the southern Red Sea.
The suspension was announced by the EU maritime protection mission, Aspides, with the operation seeking alternative solutions, as it said.
Fires aboard the Greek-flagged vessel continued after a coordinated drone-rocket attack late last month by Houthi rebels operating from Yemen.
Since September 1st, 2024, EUNAVFOR ASPIDES assets have been engaged in protecting the tugs involved in the MV SOUNION salvage operation, aiming to facilitate the prevention of an unprecedented environmental disaster in the region.
The private companies responsible for the… pic.twitter.com/WB9srXYJA8
— EUNAVFOR ASPIDES (@EUNAVFORASPIDES) September 3, 2024
The attack by the Iran-backed Houthi militants on the Greek-owned tanker was likely carried out by an anti-tank weapon, possibly an RPG used by the rebels, which struck the engine room. The vessel immediately sent out a distress signal in the Red Sea.
The ship was struck on the starboard side and lost power, while a fire also broke out. All crew members were rescued.
Since last November, the Houthi rebels have frequently launched attacks on commercial ships in the southern Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the two, ostensibly in solidarity with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and following the outbreak of war in the Palestinian enclave after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in southern Israel.
