(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
AFP
An oil tanker's crew has been rescued after an attack in the Red Sea off Yemen but the stricken ship now poses an "environmental hazard", an EU naval mission said Thursday.
Several projectiles hit the Greek-flagged Sounion off the Yemeni city of Hodeida on Wednesday, causing a fire and cutting engine power, according to the UKMTO maritime agency which is run by Britain's Royal Navy.
There was no claim of responsibility for the attack.
The European Union's Aspides mission said it sent a ship to rescue the crew of the vessel, which was carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil.
The Sounion, owned by Greek shipping company Delta Tankers, carried a crew of 25 people, including 23 Filipinos and two Russians, according to Greece's port authority.
"All on board the MV SOUNION were subsequently rescued and are being transported to Djibouti, the nearest safe port of call," the Aspides mission said in a statement on social media platform X.
The unmanned vessel is now anchored in the Red Sea between Eritrea and Yemen, according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC), run by a Western naval coalition.
The EU naval force warned that the ship "now represents a navigational and environmental hazard".
"It is essential that everyone in the area exercises caution and refrains from any actions that could lead to a deterioration of the current situation," it said.
According to JMIC, the ship was abandoned and the fire was reported to be contained, with one crew member sustaining a minor injury.
The Greek port authority said the ship had departed from Iraq and was destined for a port near Athens where many refineries are based.
Delta Tankers said that "plans are in place to move the vessel to a safer destination where a full assessment (checks and any repairs) can be undertaken".
It did not specify where the ship would be taken to.
MENAFN22082024000063011010ID1108589862
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.