According to Reuters, this week, experts will restart a high-risk salvage operation for the Sounion tanker, which was attacked multiple times by Yemen’s Houthis last month in the Red Sea.
The vessel, 900 feet long and carrying around one million barrels of crude oil, was hit by projectiles and caught fire on August 21. The operation to tow the tanker was previously halted due to safety concerns, but it will resume in the coming days, Reuters reports.
As informed, two Greek-based tugboats are on-site for the operation, and Greece has sought help from Saudi Arabia. The ship’s crew has been evacuated, and the EU naval mission Aspides, which includes French and Greek frigates, will oversee and protect the salvage effort. The Houthis have threatened salvage crews, complicating the operation and endangering lives.
On 12 September, the MV SOUNION remains on fire after it was attacked in the Red Sea. The vessel is currently anchored, not drifting and there are no signs of an oil spill from the main cargo hold.
To prevent an environmental disaster, it is essential that public, private… pic.twitter.com/jDYZkUNa6s— EUNAVFOR ASPIDES (@EUNAVFORASPIDES) September 13, 2024
The situation is critical, as any spill could cause severe environmental damage.
