An oil tanker that burned for weeks in the Red Sea after being attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, posing a severe environmental threat due to the potential for a massive oil spill, has been successfully salvaged, a security firm reported on Friday.
The tanker, MV Sounion, had been carrying one million barrels of crude oil and was severely damaged by attacks involving explosives, projectiles, and a drone boat, attributed to the Houthis.
The incident was part of their intensified activities linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Following these attacks, the tanker became a hazardous presence in the Red Sea, with fears of an oil spill that the U.S. State Department warned could have been “four times the size of the Exxon Valdez disaster” in 1989.
Salvage Efforts
Salvage operations lasted months and involved multiple entities, including the private security firm Ambrey, a European naval force, and specialized salvage teams.
Over three weeks, teams extinguished fires aboard the vessel, repaired damaged cargo tanks, and stabilized the ship using inert gas to pressurize the tanks. Once the Sounion was deemed safe, it was towed to the Suez region in early October, where the remaining oil was successfully offloaded, averting an ecological catastrophe.
Context and Houthi Involvement
The Houthis, who have controlled Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, for over a decade and have fought a Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s exiled government, initially attacked the Greek-flagged Sounion on August 21.
Oil Tanker Attacked (Photo: AP)
A French destroyer participating in the European Union’s Operation Aspides rescued the ship’s 29-member crew, which included Filipinos, Russians, and private security staff, and transported them to Djibouti.
Following the rescue, the Houthis released propaganda footage showing explosives being planted and detonated on the Sounion, a tactic they have used in past campaigns.
Since the escalation of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have launched attacks on over 100 merchant vessels using drones, missiles, and small arms.
While they claim their targets are ships linked to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K., several vessels attacked, including those heading to or from Iran, have had no apparent connection to the conflict.
International Response and Further Developments
The U.S. and its allies have intercepted numerous Houthi-launched drones and missiles in the Red Sea. Israeli forces have conducted strikes against what they describe as Houthi military infrastructure in Yemen, including ports and power stations. On Friday, Israel’s military confirmed further strikes on Houthi targets, leading to reported casualties at Yemen’s Ras Isa port.
While the tempo of Houthi maritime attacks has slowed in recent weeks, the group continues to launch missiles and drones targeting Israel, maintaining their campaign amid international condemnation.
