Greek-flagged tanker at risk of sinking after Houthi attacks, forcing all crew evacuation

SANAA, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) — A Greek-flagged oil tanker, MV Sounion, is at risk of sinking after being attacked by the Houthi group earlier this week, forcing all crew members to evacuate, a Yemeni government coastguard source told Xinhua on Thursday.
The MV Sounion was attacked on Wednesday and was anchored off Eritrea on Thursday, the source said anonymously. The UK Maritime Trade Operations also confirmed that the ship, which was hit multiple times, has lost engine power and all crew members have been rescued.
The European Union’s Red Sea naval mission “Aspides” stated on Thursday that the MV Sounion, carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, now poses a navigational and environmental hazard. The mission urged vessels in the area to “exercise caution and avoid actions that could worsen the situation.”
The Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attacks on the Greek-flagged tanker in a statement released Thursday evening. The attacks come amid ongoing regional tensions. The Houthis have targeted “Israeli-linked” ships since November 2023 in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, vowing to escalate strikes until Israel halts its offensive.
In response, the United States and Britain have conducted air and naval strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen since mid-January to prevent disruptions to international shipping lanes. This intervention has led the Houthis to expand their targets to include U.S. and British commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi claimed in a televised speech that his group has attacked 182 ships in shipping lanes off Yemen since November of last year. ■