Salvagers have decided to halt their efforts to tow away a burning oil tanker, the Sounion, in the Red Sea after it was deemed unsafe to proceed, according to the European Union's Operation Aspides. The vessel, targeted by Yemen's Houthi rebels, remains stranded in the Red Sea, posing a threat of spilling its 1 million barrels of oil.
The EU mission stated that the private companies responsible for the salvage operation determined that the conditions were not suitable for the towing operation to continue safely. Alternative solutions are now being explored by these private companies.
The safety concerns may be attributed to the ongoing fire aboard the Sounion, as NASA fire satellites detected a blaze in the vicinity where the vessel was anchored on Tuesday. Additionally, there is a looming threat of attacks by the Houthi rebels, who recently targeted two other oil tankers in the Red Sea.
The Houthis had initially attacked the Greek-flagged tanker on August 21 using small arms fire, projectiles, and a drone boat. A French destroyer, part of Operation Aspides, successfully rescued the crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, along with four private security personnel, and transported them to Djibouti.
Recently, the Houthis released footage showing explosives being planted on the Sounion and detonated in a propaganda video, a tactic they have employed in the past. The rebels have targeted over 80 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the conflict began in October, resulting in the seizure and sinking of vessels and casualties among sailors.
The Houthis claim to target ships associated with Israel, the U.S., or the U.K. to pressure an end to Israel's actions against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the attacked vessels have minimal or no connection to the conflict, including those en route to Iran.
