Greek tanker attacked in Red Sea appears to be leaking oil, US says

The Pentagon says the Sounion is simply a navigational hazard and warns of a imaginable biology catastrophe.

The Greek-flagged Sounion crude lipid tanker is inactive connected occurrence aft being attacked by Yemen’s Houthi radical past week, and appears to beryllium leaking oil, the Pentagon has said.

The vas is carrying astir 1 cardinal barrels of crude oil, according to Pentagon spokesperson Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder.

The United States is “aware of a 3rd enactment that attempted to nonstop 2 tugs to the vas to assistance salvage, but they were warned distant by the Houthis and threatened with being attacked,” helium told reporters connected Tuesday.

The Sounion was attacked connected August 21 by aggregate projectiles disconnected Yemen’s port metropolis of Hodeidah.

The Iran-aligned Houthis person been targeting shipping successful the Red Sea country since November, successful what they telephone an enactment of solidarity with Palestinians successful the Gaza Strip due to the fact that of Israel’s continuing war connected the enclave.

The leaking tanker is some a navigational hazard and a imaginable biology catastrophe, Ryder said.

“These are simply reckless acts of coercion which proceed to destabilise planetary and determination commerce, enactment the lives of guiltless civilian mariners astatine hazard and imperil the vibrant maritime ecosystem successful the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the Houthis’ ain backmost yard,” Ryder said.

The European Union’s Red Sea naval ngo responded to a petition from the shipping institution and the vessel’s skipper and dispatched a portion to supply extortion to the unit of 23 Filipinos and 2 Russians.

The unit abandoned the vas and were rescued by the EU mission. There were nary reports of injuries.

Houthi subject spokesperson Yahya Saree said the vas was targeted due to the fact that its operator, Athens-based Delta Tankers, violated its prohibition connected “entry to the ports of occupied Palestine”.

The Sounion was the 3rd vas operated by Delta Tankers to beryllium attacked successful the Red Sea this month.

It was sailing from Iraq to Greece erstwhile it was attacked connected August 21, according to Ryder.

The Yemeni radical has sunk 2 ships and killed astatine slightest 3 unit members since it began attacking ships with ties to Israel.

Its actions person affected planetary shipping, prompting galore vessel owners to debar the Red Sea portion and nonstop their vessels connected lengthier and much costly routes astir the confederate extremity of Africa.