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Crew with 23 Fils rescued from stricken oil tanker in Red Sea
By Nidz Godino
“All on board MV Sounion were subsequently rescued and are being transported to Djibouti, nearest safe port of call,” EU naval Aspides mission said in statement on social media platform X oil tanker’s crew has been rescued after attack in Red Sea off Yemen but stricken ship now poses “environmental hazard”.
Several projectiles hit Greek-flagged Sounion off rebel-held Yemeni port of Hodeida, causing fire and cutting engine power, according to UKMTO maritime agency run by Britain’s Royal Navy.
Attack was claimed by Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels, waged campaign against international shipping that they say is in support of Gaza during Israel-Hamas war.
In statement, Huthis said Sounion “belongs to company that has ties with Israeli enemy” and was “accurately and directly hit” with drones and missiles.
European Union’s Aspides mission sent ship to rescue crew of vessel, carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil.
Later on Thursday, UKMTO said: “vessel is now at anchor and all crew have been evacuated.”
The Sounion, owned by Greek shipping company Delta Tankers, carried crew of 25 people, including 23 Filipinos and two Russians, according to Greece’s ports authority.
Unmanned vessel is now anchored in Red Sea between Eritrea and Yemen, according to Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC), run by Western naval coalition.
EU naval force, formed in February to protect merchant vessels in Red Sea from attacks by Huthi rebels, warned that ship “now represents navigational and environmental hazard”.
“It is essential that everyone in the area exercises caution and refrains from any actions that could lead to deterioration of current situation,” it said.
According to JMIC, ship was abandoned and fire was reported to be contained, with one crew member sustaining minor injury.
Greek ports authority said ship had departed from Iraq and was destined for port near Athens where many refineries are based.
Delta Tankers said “plans are in place to move vessel to safer destination where full assessment checks and any repairs can be undertaken”.
It did not specify where ship would be taken to.
This is third Delta Tankers vessel attacked in Red Sea this month, after Delta Blue and Delta Atlantica, according to shipping data.
It is also latest involving Philippines crew. One Filipino remains missing from Red Sea attack on MV Tutor in June, while 17 Filipino crew of Galaxy Leader have remained in Huthi captivity since ship was seized last November.
In a separate incident south of Yemeni port of Aden, another ship reported six explosions in close proximity over past 24 hours, UKMTO said.
Latest blast, caused by sea drone, inflicted minor damage, UKMTO said, adding that vessel and crew are reported safe and proceeding to next port of call.
Huthis, in their Thursday statement, said their “operations… will not stop until aggression is stopped”, referring to Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
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