US State Department: Houthi attacks on oil tanker Sonion portend environmental disaster

The United States of America warned of an imminent environmental disaster in the Red Sea, as a result of the Houthi militia attacks on the oil tanker "Sunion", which caused it to catch fire and run aground after its crew was rescued.

"The United States is deeply concerned by the Houthi attacks on the oil tanker MT DELTA SOUNION, " the US State Department said in a statement .

The statement, attributed to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, added that the Houthis' ongoing attacks "threaten to spill 1 million barrels of oil into the Red Sea, an amount equal to four times what was spilled in the Exxon Valdez disaster."

We're gravely concerned by the Houthis' continued attacks against the oil tanker MT DELTA SOUNION, which is carrying a barrels of oil and million poses an imminent environmental catastrophe.

— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) August 24, 2024

The statement explained that the Houthis expressed their determination to sink the tanker and its cargo, despite the evacuation of the crew.

The US State Department statement continued, "The Houthis have made clear through their attacks their willingness to destroy the fishing industry and regional ecosystems on which Yemenis and other regional communities depend for their livelihoods, just as they have undermined the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to the region through their reckless attacks."

The statement called on the Houthis to stop these measures immediately, and urged other countries to take action and help avoid this environmental disaster.

Earlier on Saturday, the US envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking, warned of an imminent environmental and navigational danger in the Red Sea as a result of the Houthi militia attacks on the tanker "Sunion".

In a statement published by the US State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs account on the X platform, Lenderking pointed out that "the oil tanker "Sunion", carrying one million barrels of oil, caught fire and drifted following Houthi attacks."

The UK Maritime Trade Operations said in a note on Friday that it had received reports of three fires on board the vessel, which "appears to be drifting."

The Houthi militia published footage documenting the burning of the Greek ship "Sunion" in the Red Sea, claiming that the attack came in response to the ship's violation of the ban imposed on Israeli ports.

The European Union's naval mission in the Red Sea (Aspedis) said on Thursday that the tanker, carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, now poses an environmental hazard.