The European naval mission Aspides in the Red Sea says the Greek oil tanker Sounion, which was attacked by Houthi rebels, does not appear to be leaking oil. The tanker is carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil. If it leaked into the sea, it would cause an environmental disaster.
The Sounion became unmanageable last Wednesday (21 August) when it was attacked by Houthis 140 kilometres off the coast of the Yemeni city of Hodeida. The 29-member crew escaped unharmed and were evacuated by a French naval vessel.
A fire broke out on board on Friday (23 August). It was almost certainly the work of Houthi rebels. They shared pictures of the ship on social media showing several large explosions, presumably caused by explosives.
