Salvage Operations for Abandoned Greek Oil Tanker

By Lefteris Papadimas, Idrees Ali and Lisa Baertlein

Athens (Reuters) – Salvage operations have commenced on an abandoned Greek-flagged oil tanker, the Sounion, which has been burning since Houthi rebel attacks. The EU’s Red Sea naval mission, Aspides, reported that no oil spill has been detected so far.

The Houthi militants, aligned with Iran, have attacked the 900-foot (274.2-meter) Sounion, which carries around 1 million barrels of oil. On Wednesday, they announced they would allow salvage crews to tow the vessel to safety.

Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime, noted that it seems cooler heads have prevailed. The Houthis have previously sunk two vessels in their ongoing campaign against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, responding to the Israel-Hamas war.

The EU mission promised to coordinate efforts with neighboring countries and European authorities to prevent an environmental catastrophe from the Sounion. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh confirmed that while the barrels of crude oil on the Sounion are intact, the ship is leaking oil and continues to burn.

The Houthis’ decision to let rescue crews approach follows international concerns regarding environmental safety. Experts had warned that a spill of 150,000 tonnes of crude oil could occur, which would be significant compared to past incidents.

Despite the current respite, threats to maritime safety and the environment remain, according to Jensen. He emphasized that numerous oil tankers and merchant ships are still at risk in these dangerous waters.