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Rescue of crew of hijacked oil tanker in Red Sea

HQ (according to VNA) August 23, 2024 05:54

The European Union (EU) naval mission announced on August 22 that it had rescued the crew of an oil tanker after an attack in the Red Sea off Yemen. However, the ship is at risk of posing a threat to the marine environment due to a possible crude oil leak.

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A ship was attacked in the Red Sea (file photo)

On August 21, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced that the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion was attacked by two small boats and hit by three shells in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen. According to UKMTO, the incident occurred when the Sounion was moving in an area about 142 km west of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah.

In a statement on social network X, the European Union (EU) naval mission Aspides said it had sent a ship to rescue the crew of the ship carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil. According to the Greek port authority, the Sounion, owned by the Greek shipping company Delta Tankers, was carrying 25 crew members, including 23 Filipinos and two Russians. One crew member suffered minor injuries.

The men are being taken to Djibouti. The ship is currently anchored in the Red Sea between Eritrea and Yemen, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), a Western-led naval task force in the region. The fire on board has been contained. Delta Tankers said it is planning to tow the ship to a safer location.

No force has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

In recent months, Yemen's Houthi forces have stepped up attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people amid the conflict between Israel and the Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip.

The European Union naval mission Aspides was established in February 2024 to protect international shipping in the Red Sea from attacks by Houthi forces in Yemen.

HQ (according to VNA)
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Rescue of crew of hijacked oil tanker in Red Sea