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

Special Abandoned oil tanker threatens Red Sea ecology, trade, warns EU naval mission
The Greek-flagged oil tanker MV Sounion is seen heading into the Finnart Ocean Terminal in the United Kingdom on Nov. 29, 2017. (AP Photo)
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Updated 22 August 2024
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Abandoned oil tanker threatens Red Sea ecology, trade, warns EU naval mission

Abandoned oil tanker threatens Red Sea ecology, trade, warns EU naval mission
  • MV Sounion was attacked by Houthis on Wednesday
  • Four members of Yemen’s Baha’i community released after more than a year

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.


Two Egyptian pilots killed in helicopter crash in Suez: army

Updated 3 sec ago
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Two Egyptian pilots killed in helicopter crash in Suez: army

Two Egyptian pilots killed in helicopter crash in Suez: army
The Egyptian air force operates aircraft from various countries

CAIRO: Two Egyptian air force officers were killed on Tuesday when a helicopter crashed during a training exercise, the military said.
The helicopter went down near a key air base in the town of Shalufa, in Suez province, “due to a technical malfunction,” military spokesman Gharib Abdel Hafez said in a post on his official Facebook page.
He did not specify the manufacturer or model of the aircraft.
The Egyptian air force operates aircraft from various countries, including France, Russia and the United States.
In November 2022, the military said a fighter jet had crashed during a military exercise but it reported no casualties.
In December 2019, an aircraft crashed during a training exercise. The pilot ejected safely.

US soldier injured during Gaza pier operation has died: military

US soldier injured during Gaza pier operation has died: military
Updated 15 min 57 sec ago
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US soldier injured during Gaza pier operation has died: military

US soldier injured during Gaza pier operation has died: military
  • “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley,” Captain Shkeila Milford-Glover said
  • In addition to the injuries, the project faced other problems starting in May, when the pier was damaged by bad weather and had to be removed for repairs

WASHINGTON: An American soldier has died after being injured during Washington’s problem-plagued operation to establish a temporary aid pier on the coast of Gaza, the US military said Tuesday.
The pier effort aimed to boost deliveries of desperately needed humanitarian assistance into the war-wracked Palestinian territory as Israel held up shipments by land.
But the effort ran into repeated weather issues and the United States ended it in mid-July, some two months after its installation.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley, a recently retired motor transport operator,” Captain Shkeila Milford-Glover, spokesperson for the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, said in a statement.
She did not say when Stanley died or what kind of injury he had sustained, specifying only that the soldier had been receiving treatment in a long-term care facility.
He was one of three US military personnel who suffered non-combat injuries at sea during the pier operation.
The two others suffered minor injuries, a sprained ankle and a hurt back, the military said in May.
In addition to the injuries, the project faced other problems starting in May, when the pier was damaged by bad weather and had to be removed for repairs.
It was then reattached on June 7, but was moved to Ashdod on June 14 to protect it from anticipated high seas — a situation that was repeated later in the month.
US President Joe Biden announced the pier project during his State of the Union address in March as Israel held up deliveries of assistance by land, and the Pentagon has said it helped push the Israeli government to open more aid routes.


Japanese prime minister praises Saudi Arabia’s role in addressing the Gaza crisis

Japanese prime minister praises Saudi Arabia’s role in addressing the Gaza crisis
Updated 31 min 35 sec ago
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Japanese prime minister praises Saudi Arabia’s role in addressing the Gaza crisis

Japanese prime minister praises Saudi Arabia’s role in addressing the Gaza crisis
  • PM Ishiba made the remarks during a telephone summit with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
  • Ishiba stated that he would like to strengthen the strategic partnership between Japan and Saudi Arabia

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hailed “Saudi Arabia’s leadership on Gaza” and expressed his determination to continue working with the Kingdom to bring stability to the Middle East.

Ishiba made the remarks during a telephone summit with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, during which he expressed his hope that Saudi Arabia would continue to play a leading role in stabilizing the global oil market.

The Foreign Ministry in Tokyo said the crown prince expressed his wish to deepen cooperation with Japan in various fields, including politics, economics, security, and potentially technology transfer and cultural exchange.

Ishiba said he would like Japan and Saudi Arabia to expand cooperation to areas including clean energy, advanced technology, and entertainment.

With 2025 marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Ishiba reiterated his commitment to peace and stability in the region. He stated that he would like to strengthen the strategic partnership between Japan and Saudi Arabia and work even more closely together to promote these values. The crown prince also affirmed his commitment to these goals, stating that Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to its relations with Japan and welcomes further cooperation.

The Foreign Ministry added that both leaders shared their concerns about conflicts in the Middle East and the need for all parties involved to exercise maximum restraint. Ishiba said he appreciated Saudi Arabia’s leadership on Gaza, and the two leaders agreed to continue working closely together to achieve stability in the Middle East.


Syrian state media: Israel attacked town near Lebanon border

Syrian state media: Israel attacked town near Lebanon border
Updated 32 min 42 sec ago
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Syrian state media: Israel attacked town near Lebanon border

Syrian state media: Israel attacked town near Lebanon border

DAMASCUS: An Israeli strike hit a Syrian town near the border with Lebanon on Tuesday, Syrian state media said, less than a week after deadly strikes on the same area.
“An Israeli aggression targeted the industrial zone in Al-Qusayr” in Homs province, the official SANA news agency said. There was no immediate news of casualties or damage.

Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria mainly targeting army positions and Iran-backed fighters including from Hezbollah.
The Israeli military has intensified its strikes on Syria since it launched its war on Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon.
Israeli authorities rarely comment on the strikes, but have repeatedly said they will not allow arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence in Syria.


Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says war death toll at 43,391

Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says war death toll at 43,391
Updated 05 November 2024
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Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says war death toll at 43,391

Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says war death toll at 43,391
  • The toll includes 17 deaths in the previous 24 hours

GAZA STRIP: The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Tuesday that at least 43,391 people have been killed in the year-old war between Israel and Palestinian militants.
The toll includes 17 deaths in the previous 24 hours, according to the ministry, which said 102,347 people have been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.