Oil tanker on fire and floating aimlessly following assault in the Red Sea
Strikes were reportedly executed on a Greek-flagged vessel in the vicinity of a Yemeni port under the control of Houthi rebels. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A Greek-flagged oil tanker caught fire on Wednesday while traveling through the Red Sea, reportedly after being targeted near a Yemeni port controlled by Houthi rebels, according to multiple media reports citing the British military. The vessel had a crew of 25 people, all of whom have been rescued.
The ‘Sounion’ was attacked by over a dozen individuals using two small boats that fired projectiles at the ship. At the time of the attack Wednesday morning, the vessel was situated approximately 77 nautical miles (143 km) west of Hodeidah, a port city in Yemen, as per the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The assault resulted in the vessel losing its engine power and ability to navigate.
“The vessel reports being not under command,” the UKMTO reported, noting that there have been no reported casualties.
In response to a request from the shipping company and the ship's captain, the EU’s Red Sea naval mission, ‘Aspides’, stated that it dispatched a unit on Thursday to provide protection for the crew.
According to Reuters, the tanker is carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil.
Later, the UKMTO confirmed that the ship was adrift and on fire in the Red Sea, while Aspides pointed out on X that the vessel “now represents a navigational and environmental hazard.”
The Sounion marks the third vessel operated by Athens-based Delta Tankers to be attacked in the Red Sea this month. Earlier in August, the firm’s Liberia-flagged Delta Atlantica and Delta Blue tankers were also struck in separate incidents.
The Houthis, a Shia Islamist group controlling a significant portion of Yemen, have been targeting merchant vessels since October, claiming they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid ongoing hostilities with Israel. They have pledged to persist in disrupting shipping along this crucial maritime route until Israel ceases its military actions against Hamas.
These attacks have prompted many shipping companies to steer clear of the Red Sea, opting for longer and more expensive routes around the southern tip of Africa.
Greek Maritime Affairs Minister Christos Stylianides criticized the attack on the Sounion as “a flagrant violation of international law and a serious threat to the security of international shipping.”
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
The ‘Sounion’ was attacked by over a dozen individuals using two small boats that fired projectiles at the ship. At the time of the attack Wednesday morning, the vessel was situated approximately 77 nautical miles (143 km) west of Hodeidah, a port city in Yemen, as per the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The assault resulted in the vessel losing its engine power and ability to navigate.
“The vessel reports being not under command,” the UKMTO reported, noting that there have been no reported casualties.
In response to a request from the shipping company and the ship's captain, the EU’s Red Sea naval mission, ‘Aspides’, stated that it dispatched a unit on Thursday to provide protection for the crew.
According to Reuters, the tanker is carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil.
Later, the UKMTO confirmed that the ship was adrift and on fire in the Red Sea, while Aspides pointed out on X that the vessel “now represents a navigational and environmental hazard.”
The Sounion marks the third vessel operated by Athens-based Delta Tankers to be attacked in the Red Sea this month. Earlier in August, the firm’s Liberia-flagged Delta Atlantica and Delta Blue tankers were also struck in separate incidents.
The Houthis, a Shia Islamist group controlling a significant portion of Yemen, have been targeting merchant vessels since October, claiming they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid ongoing hostilities with Israel. They have pledged to persist in disrupting shipping along this crucial maritime route until Israel ceases its military actions against Hamas.
These attacks have prompted many shipping companies to steer clear of the Red Sea, opting for longer and more expensive routes around the southern tip of Africa.
Greek Maritime Affairs Minister Christos Stylianides criticized the attack on the Sounion as “a flagrant violation of international law and a serious threat to the security of international shipping.”
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
