ABANDONED GREEK-FLAGGED OIL TANKER ATTACKED BY HOUTHIS CATCHES FIRE IN RED SEA

Sat 24 August 2024:

A European warship successfully rescued 25 crew members of the Greek-owned oil tanker Sounion in the Red Sea following a series of attacks on Wednesday. The tanker, carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, was first targeted by gunfire from two small boats 77 nautical miles west of the Yemeni port of Hudaydah, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

EUNAVFOR EUNAVFOR handout showing the crew of the Greek-flagged tanker Sounion being rescued by a warship in the Red Sea (21 August 2024)

The EU’s Red Sea naval mission said the Sounion’s crew were rescued by one of its ships. EUNAVFOR

Tanker Hit by Gunfire and Unidentified Projectiles

After the initial assault, the Sounion was struck by three unidentified projectiles, causing a fire and leaving the vessel without engine power. The situation escalated, leading to a rescue operation by the European Union’s Red Sea naval mission, which also destroyed an unmanned surface vessel (USV) involved in the attack. The rescued crew members were safely transported to Djibouti.

The European naval mission warned that the Sounion, now adrift and anchored, poses a significant navigational and environmental risk. The ship’s operator, Delta Tankers, confirmed that the fire onboard was extinguished before the crew abandoned the vessel. Plans are underway to relocate the tanker to a safer location for further assessment and repairs.

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Context of the Attack: Houthi Involvement Suspected

The attack occurred amidst a backdrop of ongoing hostilities in the region, with Yemen’s Houthi movement frequently targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Houthis have claimed to support Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas conflict, Houthis often claiming that they only target ships linked to Israel, the US, or the UK. The Pentagon has directly blamed the Houthis for the attack, questioning the motive behind targeting a vessel flying a Greek flag with a Russian and Filipino crew.

Yemen’s Houthi group releases footage showing an attack on a Greek-flagged and Israel-bound oil tanker in the Red Sea.

Houthis have been targeting Israel-bound cargo ships in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and even in the Indian Ocean in solidarity with Palestinians of Gaza. pic.twitter.com/wQq9GUdbC2

— TRT World (@trtworld) August 24, 2024

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh directly blamed the group for the attack, and raised doubts about what had been accomplished with it.

Singh added she was “not exactly sure how [the attack] helps anyone in Gaza”. She pointed out the ship was sailing under a Greek flag, with a crew of Russian and Filipino sailors.

The Greek-owned oil tanker Sounion, which is a 274m-long and 50m-wide “Suezmax” tanker, was carrying crude oil from the Iraqi port of Basra when it was attacked.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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