A minor oil spill has been detected from the Greek tanker MV Sounion, which was struck by Houthi forces in the Red Sea two weeks ago, according to a Yemeni naval official. The tanker, carrying around 150,000 tons of crude oil, was damaged during the August 21 attack. The official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the spill was observed near the rear of the vessel.
Following the attack, a rescue operation successfully evacuated the crew to Djibouti. Although the Houthi group had initially agreed to allow the rescue and towing of the tanker, the Yemeni official accused them of delaying the arrival of technical teams needed to manage the spill and tow the ship to safety.
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The official expressed concern, warning of a potential environmental disaster if access to the tanker is not granted swiftly. Despite efforts by the European Union’s naval mission Aspides to protect tugs assisting with the salvage, private companies involved in the operation deemed the situation too dangerous to proceed with towing.
Aspides announced on Tuesday that it has paused its salvage efforts and is working on alternative solutions to prevent a potential environmental catastrophe.