Three fires on board the oil tanker "Sunion" in the Red Sea, Djibouti calls for urgent intervention to avoid a potential disaster

The UK Maritime Transport Authority said on Friday that it had received a report of three fires on board the oil tanker "Sunion" anchored in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen.

The British authority added in a brief statement on its official website: "The ship appears to be drifting," without further details.

In turn, the Djibouti Ports Authority said on Friday that the tanker carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil poses a major environmental threat to marine life and the ecosystem in the southern Red Sea, as a possible leak could have dire consequences for the marine environment in the region.

In a statement, the Authority called for immediate and urgent intervention by the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (PERSGA) to protect the marine environment and mitigate the effects of this attack, stressing that the situation is critical due to the ship's inability to maneuver.

She pointed out that the 29 crew members, consisting of sailors of different nationalities, were evacuated safely. The crew includes the Russian captain, 24 Filipino sailors, 3 Indian sailors and 1 Nepalese sailor, noting that all crew members are fine and were immediately taken care of upon their arrival at the port of Djibouti.

Successful Salvage Operation of the Greek-Flagged Tanker "Sounion" after Attack in Yemen Waters

Last night at 10:00 PM, the Ports and Free Zones Authority successfully coordinated the salvage operation of the Greek-flagged tanker “Sounion” following an attack west of Hodeidah,… pic.twitter.com/uPfoFyPaVq

- Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority (@dpfza) August 23, 2024

On Thursday, the European Union's naval mission in the Red Sea (Aspedis) said that the oil tanker (Sunion) now poses an environmental risk after being attacked in the Red Sea.

The Greek-flagged tanker is carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil and its crew was evacuated after it was targeted by several projectiles on Wednesday off Hodeidah in Yemen.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they had directly hit the ship while it was sailing in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.