Private companies involved in the recovery of the oil tanker Sounion, which was attacked by Yemen’s Houthis in the Red Sea, are exploring other options after the towing operation was deemed unsafe, the European Union naval mission said on Tuesday (3).
The Sounion, which was hit on August 21 and which the Houthis and maritime sources say is loaded with explosives, is also carrying about a million barrels of crude oil and is still on fire.
The European bloc’s Aspides naval force said it would provide protection for tugboats handling the rescue operation.
A spill has the potential to be one of the largest in recorded history and could cause an environmental catastrophe in an area that is particularly dangerous to enter. Hence the concern and urgency in resolving the case.
Iran-aligned Houthi militants said they would allow salvage teams to tow the ship to safety. The ship’s crew was evacuated.
The Houthis first launched drone and missile strikes on the waterway in November. They say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians under attack in Israel’s war on Gaza. In more than 70 attacks, the Houthis have sunk two ships, seized another and killed at least three sailors.
This content was originally published in Companies assess how to deal with burning ship to avoid major spill in the Red Sea on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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