A Greek-flagged oil tanker caught fire Friday after being attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels this week. Authorities said the vessel was now seen adrift in the Red Sea.
It is not yet clear what happened to the oil tanker Sounion, which was abandoned by its crew on Thursday (22/8) and reported anchored where it is.
The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the fire. The rebels are believed to have again attacked at least one other ship that was later sunk as part of their months-long campaign against shipping in the Red Sea during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The attacks have disrupted a trade route that normally carries $1 trillion worth of goods each year.
Maritime Trade Operations Center (United Kingdom Maritime Trade OperationsThe British military's /UKMTO) reported the fire in a note to sailors on Friday (23/8) evening.
“UKMTO has received reports that there have been three fires on board,” the centre said. “The vessel appears to be drifting.”
A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said U.S. officials were aware of the fire and were monitoring the situation.
According to the European Union's Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea on Thursday (22/8), the ship was crewed by 25 Filipino and Russian crew members, as well as four private security personnel, who were brought by a French destroyer near Djibouti.
The Sounion is carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil and poses a “hazard to navigation and the environment,” the mission warned. “It is important for everyone in the region to exercise caution and refrain from any action that could worsen the current situation.”
The Houthis have targeted more than 80 ships with missiles and drones since the war on Gaza began in October last year, seizing one ship and sinking two in attacks that also killed four sailors.
Other missiles and drones have been intercepted by the US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets.
The rebels say they target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain to force an end to Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the vessels attacked had nothing to do with the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
As Iran threatened retaliation against Israel for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, the U.S. military ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to speed toward the region. Early Thursday, the U.S. military's Central Command said the Lincoln had reached Mideast waters, without elaborating. (ft)
