Abandoned oil tanker threatens Red Sea ecology, trade, warns EU naval mission

AL-MUKALLA: A tanker carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil that became adrift in the Red Sea after multiple Houthi strikes is now threatening the sea’s environment and maritime navigation traffic, the EU naval mission said on Thursday.

The EU naval mission in the Red Sea, known as EUNAFVOR ASPIDES, said that its warship evacuated the crew members of the Greek-flagged MV Sounion, which lost engine power after being attacked several times in the Red Sea and ferried them to Djibouti.

“Carrying 150.000 tonnes of crude oil, the MV SOUNION now represents a navigational and environmental hazard. It is essential that everyone in the area exercises caution and refrains from any actions that could lead to a deterioration of the current situation,” the EU mission said in a post on X. 

A senior government official in Yemen’s southern city of Aden told Arab News on Thursday that relevant authorities are gathering information regarding the danger posed by the abandoned ship.

In May, a ship carrying 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer crashed in the Red Sea after being hit by Houthi missiles, prompting fears of an ecological disaster.

The Joint Maritime Information Center said on Thursday that the MV Sounion on Wednesday exchanged fire with two boats before being hit by projectiles northwest of Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

All of the projectiles ripped through the starboard quarter, damaging the engine compartment, causing a contained fire, and injuring a crew member. The tanker had no links to the US, UK or Israel, which is the Houthis’ rationale for targeting ships in international commerce channels.

In a speech on Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik Al-Houthi claimed responsibility for the attack on tanker, saying it violated the militia’s ban on sailing to Israeli ports.

He also stated that his troops carried out 21 operations against ships using ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, and drone boats in the last seven days, bringing the total number of ships attacked to 182 since the start of their anti-ship campaign.

This comes as the UK Maritime Trade Operations said on Thursday that a cargo ship was slightly damaged after being attacked by a drone 57 nautical miles south of Aden, but the ship’s crew members were unharmed. The master of the same ship, the Panama-flagged SW North Wind I, told UKMTO of five explosions near the ship on Wednesday, with no reported damage or crew injuries. 

According to marinetraffic.com, the SW North Wind I is a bulk carrier heading from South Korea to Egypt.

Since November, the Houthis have seized a commercial ship, sunk two more, and launched hundreds of drones, drone boats, and ballistic missiles at commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and other areas, claiming that their actions are intended to force Israel to end its war in the Gaza Strip.

As part of actions to degrade Houthi military capabilities, US Central Command said its troops destroyed a Houthi surface-to-air missile and radar system in Yemen. The Houthis said that the US and UK forces launched five attacks on the province of Hodeidah this week.

Meanwhile, the Baha’i International Community, which speaks on behalf of the religious group, said the Houthis have freed the final four Yemeni Baha’is imprisoned by the militia for more than a year.

In May 2023, armed Houthis attacked a Baha’i gathering in Sanaa and abducted 17 people, sparking anger, condemnations and allegations against the Houthis for oppressing Yemen’s religious minorities.

“We are relieved that this grim, unjust, and absurd episode is finally over. But these 17 Baha’is should never have been arrested in the first place. The group had gathered in a private home for a peaceful community activity,” Saba Haddad, representative of the Baha’i International Community to the UN in Geneva, said in a statement. 

The Houthis accuse the Baha’is of being infidels and spying for the US and Israel.