A salvage operation to tow the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion, struck by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in August, commenced on Saturday, according to a Greek defence ministry source. The tanker, which had been anchored off the coast of Hodeida carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, was hit by missiles launched by the Iran-backed Houthis, threatening an environmental disaster.
The tugboat Aigaion Pelagos is towing the tanker northwards under military escort, with radars turned off for security reasons, the source told AFP. Despite difficult conditions, a rescue team successfully attached tow cables to the tanker.
The Greek state news agency ANA reported that the operation is being supported by three frigates, helicopters, and special forces, while a fire ship remains on standby. The European Union’s Red Sea naval mission, Aspides, highlighted the importance of the operation to prevent a potential environmental disaster in the region, as the tanker’s damage had posed the threat of an oil spill four times the size of the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster.
The vessel had been abandoned after the Houthis detonated explosives on its deck following the initial missile strike. Efforts to safely remove the tanker from the area are ongoing, with an update expected once it is towed to safety.
