A Greek-flagged oil tanker, which had been burning for weeks in the Red Sea following attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, was safely towed to a secure location.
The EU’s Operation Aspides announced the success of the salvage operation on the social platform X, stating that the Sounion “has been successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill.” The mission will continue monitoring the situation as private stakeholders finalise the salvage.
Salvagers managed to move the tanker, named the Sounion, to waters away from Yemen, while the Houthis claimed responsibility for shooting down an American-made MQ-9 Reaper drone. Video footage online appeared to confirm the drone’s downing, showing a surface-to-air missile strike and debris scattered on the ground.
These incidents highlight ongoing global challenges amid the Houthi rebel campaign, which has intensified during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Despite allowing the Sounion to be moved, the rebels continue to pose a threat to ships navigating the Red Sea, a vital trade route once handling $1 trillion in goods annually.
Source: Ekathimerini.
