Aspidis rescues crew of tanker Sunion, destroys threatening drone boat in Red Sea off Yemen

The European Union naval mission "Aspedes" announced, on Thursday, the rescue of the crew of the Greek ship "Sunion", which was subjected to repeated attacks (Wednesday), and the destruction of a drone boat that posed a threat to the ship and its crew in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen.

Greek media quoted an Aspidis official as saying that the mission responded to a request from the shipping company and the captain of the ship MV SOUNION , to send a unit to provide protection for the merchant ship and rescue its crew, consisting of 25 people, two Russians and 25 Filipinos, who are in good health.

She added that the ship's crew was successfully rescued.

She pointed out that while approaching the accident area, in the morning hours of today, August 22, a USV (unmanned aerial vehicle) was neutralized, which posed a threat to the ship MV SOUNION and its crew.

Earlier on Thursday, British maritime security firm Ambrey said a fire had been detected in the Red Sea about 58 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Saleef.

Ambri explained that the incident may be related to the destruction of a drone boat, according to Reuters.

On Wednesday, Greece confirmed that a ship flying its flag was attacked west of the port of Hodeidah, western Yemen.

Greek Minister of Maritime Affairs and Island Policies Christos Stylianides condemned the attack on a Greek-flagged tanker in the Red Sea.

Agence France-Presse quoted Stylandis as saying, "A tanker with a crew of 25 was subjected to an armed attack on Wednesday morning, 72 nautical miles west of the port of Hodeidah in Yemen."

The UK Maritime Organisation said the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sunion ran aground in the Red Sea on Wednesday, 72 nautical miles off the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeidah, after repeated attacks that caused a fire on board and rendered it unable to sail.