The Greek-registered oil tanker MT SOUNION has been successfully towed to a safe area in the Red Sea, marking a crucial step in a complex salvage operation. However, despite the successful towing, exclusive photos obtained by gCaptain show flames still billowing from the tanker as today.
The vessel, carrying approximately 1 million barrels of crude oil, was set ablaze by Houthi militants on August 21 during its transit through the Red Sea.
The photos, taken September 17 at 1730 UTC, were obtain from a passing vessel in the area.
EU-led Operation APSIDES reported on Monday, “Under protection of EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, MV SOUNION has been successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill. While private stakeholders complete the salvage operation, ASPIDES will continue to monitor the situation.”
Satellite images confirm the SOUNION’s new location, approximately 81 kilometers offshore Eritrea in the Red Sea.
The next phase of the operation involves transferring the vessel’s cargo, with Saudi Arabia expected to assist, according to sources familiar with the plan.
Environmental concerns remain paramount. The potential loss of the vessel could result in one of the largest tanker oil spills in history, risking catastrophic environmental damage in an area already fraught with danger due to ongoing Houthi attacks.
This incident is part of a larger pattern of attacks by Iranian-backed Houthis, who have targeted over 80 commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November 2023. These attacks, claimed to be in solidarity with Palestinians in the Israel-Gaza conflict, have resulted in the sinking of two ships, four seafarer deaths, and the ongoing captivity of one vessel, the Galaxy Leader, along with its crew.
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