EU naval mission reports renewed efforts to salvage burning oil tanker in Red Sea

ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A European Union (EU) naval mission said on Saturday that new attempts are underway to salvage an oil tanker ablaze in the Red Sea after attacks by Yemen's Houthi forces.

The EU naval mission, Operation Aspides, shared images on social media platform X showing its vessels escorting rescuing ships to the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion. The photos were dated Saturday.

"The salvage operation of the MV SOUNION is essential in order to avert a potential environmental disaster in the region," the mission said in a statement. "To achieve this, several public and private actors are working together."

The mission added that its assets were "actively involved in this complex endeavor, by creating a secure environment, which is necessary for the tugboats to conduct the towing operation."

The Sounion vessel, carrying about 1 million barrels of crude oil, was attacked by Houthi forces on Aug. 21 with small arms, projectiles, and a drone boat. The 29-member crew, including Filipinos, Russians, and private security personnel, were evacuated by a French destroyer to Djibouti.

Houthi forces later released footage on Aug. 29 showing them boarding and placing explosives on the oil tanker, detonating blasts that threatened a major oil spill in the Red Sea.

The Houthi group, which controls large swathes of northern Yemen, has been attacking international shipping near the country's coastline since November 2023, allegedly in support of Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The U.S.-led naval coalition in the region has intensified strikes against Houthi military sites in response, further escalating the conflict. ■