An oil tanker which was attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels within the Purple Sea final week continues to be on fireplace and could also be leaking oil, the US Pentagon says.
Makes an attempt to salvage the Greek-owned and flagged MV Sounion have been thwarted by the Houthis, who’ve threatened extra assaults, the Pentagon provides.
The ship is carrying greater than 150,000 tonnes – or a million barrels – of crude oil, and a significant spill has the potential to be among the many largest from a ship in recorded historical past.
The Iran-backed Houthis, who management a lot of Yemen, say they’ve been attacking ships within the Purple Sea for 10 months in help of the Palestinians within the conflict between Israel and Hamas within the Gaza Strip.
They’ve reportedly sunk two ships and killed at the least two crew members in that point.
They’ve claimed – usually falsely – that they’re focusing on ships solely linked to Israel, the US or the UK.
The Sounion was first hit by gunfire from two small boats last Wednesday, then struck by three unidentified projectiles, which sparked a hearth and left it with out engine energy, the UK Maritime Commerce Operations (UKMTO) workplace stated.
Its 25 crew members had been rescued by a European warship a day later and transported to Djibouti.
The oil tanker was later attacked once more – the Houthis posted a video purportedly exhibiting them setting it on fireplace.
A US State Department statement on Saturday expressed concern concerning the assaults on the Sounion. It warned of a attainable spill of oil 4 instances the scale of the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, which launched 257,000 barrels off the coast of Alaska.
On Tuesday Pentagon spokesman Maj-Gen Patrick Ryder stated two tugs had been despatched to salvage the stricken vessel however the Houthis had threatened to assault them as properly.
He stated the US was working with companions within the area to attempt to mitigate any potential environmental influence.
