The 25 crew members of the Greek-owned oil tanker, Sounion, were rescued by a European warship in the Red Sea after the vessel came under multiple attacks on Wednesday.
The Sounion, carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, was first targeted by gunfire from two small boats 77 nautical miles west of the Yemeni port of Hudaydah, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
Later, the tanker was hit by three unidentified projectiles, causing a fire and leaving it without engine power.
On Thursday, the EU’s Red Sea naval mission confirmed that one of its ships destroyed an unmanned surface vessel (USV) during the rescue of the crew, who were then transported to Djibouti.
The Sounion now poses a navigational and environmental hazard, prompting EUNAVFOR to urge caution in the area.
Delta Tankers, the ship’s operator, reported that the fire was extinguished before the crew abandoned the vessel and stated that plans are being made to move the tanker to a safer location for further inspection and repairs. The vessel, initially adrift, is now anchored.
