Salvagers Give Up on Towing Burning Oil Tanker in Red Sea Amid Houthi Attack

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Salvage efforts for the burning oil tanker Sounion in the Red Sea have been suspended due to safety concerns, according to a statement from a European Union naval operation on Tuesday.

The Sounion, which is currently stranded, poses a significant environmental threat with its cargo of 1 million barrels of oil. The EU’s Operation Aspides announced that the private companies tasked with the salvage concluded that conditions were unsafe for towing the vessel.

The EU mission did not provide specifics about the safety concerns but hinted that the ongoing fire aboard the Sounion might be a contributing factor. NASA fire satellites reported a blaze in the area where the tanker is anchored on Tuesday.

At the same time, there is an increasing risk of attacks from the Houthi rebels. On Monday, they targeted two other oil tankers traversing the Red Sea. The Houthis claim they are open to allowing salvage operations, but critics argue that they have previously manipulated similar situations to gain leverage in negotiations with the international community.

The Greek-flagged Sounion was initially assailed by the Houthis on August 21, facing small arms fire, projectiles, and an attack by a drone boat. A French destroyer partaking in Operation Aspides intervened and successfully rescued the crew, which consisted of 25 Filipinos and Russians, along with four private security personnel. The crew was taken to safety in Djibouti after abandoning the vessel.

In a demonstration of their campaign, the Houthis released video footage showing the detonation of explosives they had placed on the Sounion, a tactic they have employed in prior attacks.

Since the outbreak of conflict in Gaza in October, the Houthis have targeted over 80 merchant vessels using missiles and drones. The ongoing offensive has resulted in the seizure of one ship, the sinking of two others, and the deaths of four sailors. While many of the missile and drone attacks have been intercepted by a coalition led by the U.S. in the Red Sea, there have been instances where missiles failed to reach their intended targets, affecting Western naval vessels as well.

The rebels assert that their attacks are directed at vessels with links to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K., aiming to pressure these nations to cease their military actions against Hamas in Gaza. However, numerous vessels targeted have no clear association with the conflict, including shipments heading for Iran.

As the situation evolves, the threat posed by the Sounion remains a critical concern for environmental safety in the region. The abandonment of the salvage operation underscores the difficulties faced in navigating the ongoing conflict and the challenges of addressing potential ecological disasters in a war-torn area.