The Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion was set ablaze and left adrift following multiple attacks in the Red Sea, with all 25 crew members safely rescued.
A Greek-flagged oil tanker, the Sounion, was set on fire and left adrift after being attacked by armed assailants in the Red Sea. The incident occurred approximately 77 nautical miles west of Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah as the vessel was en route from Iraq to Athens. According to reports from the Greek shipping ministry and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the tanker was targeted by more than a dozen attackers in two small boats who fired multiple projectiles at the ship on Wednesday morning.
The UKMTO initially reported a brief exchange of fire between the crew and the attackers. Later updates revealed that a subsequent attack caused a fire aboard the vessel, resulting in the loss of engine power and leaving the ship unable to maneuver.
In response to a distress call from the Sounion‘s captain and its operator, Delta Tankers, the European Union’s Red Sea naval mission dispatched a unit to secure the safety of the 23 Filipino and two Russian crew members. The crew successfully abandoned the vessel and were rescued by the EU mission without any reported injuries. As the rescue team approached, they neutralized a potential threat posed by an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) near the stricken tanker.
Greece’s Maritime Affairs Minister Christos Stylianides condemned the attack, labeling it a “flagrant violation of international law and a serious threat to the security of international shipping.” While the exact method of the attack remains unclear, Greek authorities suggested that missiles or drones may have been used.
Though the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have targeted international shipping in the region since November, citing solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict, they have not claimed responsibility for the assault on the Sounion. The vessel, which was headed for a port near Athens, sustained minor damage and remains adrift.
The Sounion is the third Delta Tankers-operated vessel to come under attack this month. Earlier, the Liberia-flagged tankers Delta Atlantica and Delta Blue were struck in separate incidents. In another recent event south of Yemen’s port city of Aden, the Panama-flagged merchant ship SW North Wind I reported five explosions in nearby waters. The crew was unharmed, and the ship continued to its next port of call.
The increasing frequency of such attacks has led many ship owners to reroute their vessels around the southern tip of Africa, opting for longer and more costly journeys to avoid the volatile Red Sea region.
(Associated Medias) – All rights reserved
