The European Union’s Aspides mission has confirmed that a major operation is underway to tow the Greek-owned tanker Sounion, which is on fire in the Red Sea after it was struck by Yemeni Houthi rebels on August 21.
The tanker is carrying 150,000 metric tonnes of crude oil.
Fears emerged last week after a statement from the Pentagon on Tuesday, August 27 said the tanker appeared to be leaking oil, potentially causing environmental devastation. Later on Wednesday, August 28, Aspides reported that there was no oil spill from the Sounion and that the tanker was anchored and not adrift.
By early afternoon Monday, September 2, the Greek frigate Psara, the French frigate Chevalier Paul and the Italian destroyer Andrea Doria were approximately 40 nautical miles from the Sounion, preparing to provide air defence for a salvage operation. The ships and tugs were expected to reach the tanker late on Monday night.
According to Bloomberg, the plan to evacuate the tanker involves transferring the oil inside to another vessel, while Sounion will be towed to a safe port, probably in Djibouti.
Although the Houthis have agreed to allow the tugboats to remove the Sounion, European commanders authorised the warships’ involvement after two more Houthi attacks in the Red Sea earlier on Monday.
The high-risk operation is expected to take several days at a towing speed of about 2 miles per hour.
Source: Ekathimerini.
