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An oil tanker which was attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels within the Red Sea final week continues to be on hearth and could also be leaking oil, the US Pentagon says.
Attempts to salvage the Greek-owned and flagged MV Sounion have been thwarted by the Houthis, who’ve threatened extra assaults, the Pentagon provides.
The ship is carrying greater than 150,000 tonnes – or a million barrels – of crude oil, and a serious spill has the potential to be among the many largest from a ship in recorded historical past.
The Iran-backed Houthis, who management a lot of Yemen, say they’ve been attacking ships within the Red Sea for 10 months in help of the Palestinians within the struggle between Israel and Hamas within the Gaza Strip.
They have reportedly sunk two ships and killed not less than two crew members in that point.
They have claimed – usually falsely – that they’re concentrating on ships solely linked to Israel, the US or the UK.
The Sounion was first hit by gunfire from two small boats final Wednesday, then struck by three unidentified projectiles, which sparked a fireplace and left it with out engine energy, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) workplace stated.
Its 25 crew members have been rescued by a European warship a day later and transported to Djibouti.
The oil tanker was later attacked once more – the Houthis posted a video purportedly displaying them setting it on hearth.
A US State Department assertion on Saturday expressed concern concerning the assaults on the Sounion. It warned of a potential spill of oil 4 occasions the scale of the 1989 Exxon Valdez catastrophe, which launched 257,000 barrels off the coast of Alaska.
On Tuesday Pentagon spokesman Maj-Gen Patrick Ryder stated two tugs had been despatched to salvage the stricken vessel however the Houthis had threatened to assault them as properly.
He stated the US was working with companions within the area to attempt to mitigate any potential environmental impression.
