Efforts to tow a burning oil tanker, the Sounion, in the Red Sea have been abandoned. That leaves the ship stranded and at risk of a possible spill of its one million barrels of oil, according to reports.
On Tuesday, September 3, the EU’s Operation Aspides announced that the salvage operation had ended and stated that conditions were “not safe to proceed.”
NASA satellites confirmed that a fire was continuing to burn aboard the vessel which is registered in Greece.
The Sounion was attacked on August 21 by Iran-backed Houthis. They targeted it with projectiles and firearms. Houthi rebels released a video showing their fighters planting explosives on the oil tanker in the Red Sea. The video shows Houthis chanting “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam,” as bombs were detonated aboard the tanker.
The Sounion was eventually abandoned by the crew. They were rescued by a French destroyer.