Oil tanker hit by Houthis now appears to be leaking oil, Pentagon says

Washington: The Greek-flagged crude oil tanker Sounion that was recently attacked by Yemen’s Houthis is still on fire in the Red Sea and now appears to be leaking oil, a Pentagon spokesman said on Tuesday.

The Sounion was targeted last week by multiple projectiles off Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah.

Fires burning aboard the oil tanker Sounion in the Red Sea on August 25. Credit: AP

The Houthis, who control Yemen’s most populous regions, said they attacked it in the Red Sea, as the Iran-aligned group has been attacking ships in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Pentagon spokesman Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said that a third party had tried to send two tugs to help salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them.

He did not identify the “third party,” but said the Houthis’ actions demonstrated “their blatant disregard for not only human life, but also for the potential environmental catastrophe that this presents”.

He said US Central Command has been monitoring the situation to determine how best to assist the Sounion, which is loaded with 136,000 metric tonnes of Iraqi crude oil, and mitigate any environmental impact.

The oil tanker Sounion in the Red Sea.Credit: AP

Currently, however, there are no US Navy ships in the Red Sea or nearby in the Gulf of Aden.

“These are simply reckless acts of terrorism which continue to destabilise global and regional commerce, put the lives of innocent civilian mariners at risk and imperil the vibrant maritime ecosystem in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the Houthis’ own backyard,” Ryder added.

The Sounion was the third vessel operated by Athens-based Delta Tankers to be attacked in the Red Sea this month.

Reuters

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