A Greek oil tanker ran aground within the Purple Sea after it was attacked by Houthi rebels, an Iran-backed militia that controls elements of northern Yemen and lower off vital sea lanes in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The MV Delta Sounion has been stationary for greater than every week, making it a sitting duck for additional assaults whereas elevating fears of an environmental catastrophe. The tanker was carrying the equal of 1 million barrels of crude oil.
The Sounion, whose crew was evacuated, is presently in waters patrolled by Houthi ships. The Houthis stated they’d permit a rescue mission, however transferring the ship could be unsure.
This is what we all know concerning the caught tanker.
How did the ship run aground?
The MV Delta Sounion was crusing by the southern Purple Sea when it was attacked by vessels managed by Houthi fighters on August 21, in line with the European Union Naval Mission within the Purple Sea, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf.
No crew members had been killed or injured, however the ship misplaced engine energy throughout the assault, the naval mission stated on social media. The crew of 23 Filipino and two Russian sailors had been evacuated to Djibouti, a rustic within the Horn of Africa.
Through the rescue, the naval mission ship noticed an unmanned craft close by and instantly destroyed it. c past attacksHouthi rebels used remote-controlled boats that rushed towards vessels, inflicting explosive collisions.
Sounion, crusing below the Greek flag and operated by the Greek Delivery Firm Delta tankerswas touring from Iraq to Greece, in line with a Pentagon briefing. It now poses a navigational hazard to different ships passing by the realm, the Pentagon stated.
In a statement on ThursdayGreek Overseas Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis stated he had spoken along with his counterpart in Saudi Arabia, which has a shoreline on the Purple Sea, “to make sure the most secure doable administration of this subject.”
What’s the environmental threat?
The ship’s cargo comprises 150,000 tons of crude oil, or multiple million barrels. Worse, the stranded ship has been burning since August 23, posing an “imminent menace of regional air pollution,” the European Union’s naval mission stated.
On Wednesday, aerial pictures of the Sounion confirmed a number of fires on deck. Though there’s nonetheless no obvious oil leak, the Pentagon raised considerations on Tuesday that the stranded vessel represented a “potential environmental catastrophe.” (The US State Division stated the spill could be one million barrels of oil four times the size from the 1989 Exxon Valdez catastrophe in Alaska.)
Worldwide navies and businesses are working collectively to find out the way to transfer the practically 900-foot-long tanker.
Why do the Houthis assault ships?
The Houthis are a a group of Shiite fighters who’ve been combating the Yemeni authorities for greater than 20 years. Backed by Iran, the group now controls giant elements of northern Yemen and has change into the de facto authorities within the Gulf nation. USA define the group terrorist group in February.
In recent times, the group has focused ships touring within the Gulf of Aden and the Purple Sea, a key gateway for international delivery by the Suez Canal. After Hamas’ assault on Israel on October 7 and the next struggle in Gaza, the Houthis pledged their solidarity with the Palestinian folks, stepping up assaults on ships and reducing off worldwide sea lanes.
On Wednesday, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam stated Iranian media that he would permit the extraction of Sounion by agreeing to the requests of a number of events. Iran’s UN mission confirmed the choice, including that the group agreed for humanitarian and environmental causes.
Nevertheless, Houthi leaders have vowed to proceed their marketing campaign to disrupt delivery, in line with the Web site Intelligence Group, which tracks extremist organizations.
“These are merely reckless acts of terrorism that proceed to destabilize international and regional commerce, put the lives of harmless civilian sailors in danger and threaten the very important marine ecosystem within the Purple Sea and Gulf of Aden, the Houthis’ personal yard,” Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, stated throughout a briefing on Tuesday.
Euphrates Livni contributed reporting.
