Salvage operation of MV Sounion oil tanker about to start out, no indicators of oil spill, EU naval mission says
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CAIRO (Reuters) – The salvage operation of the oil tanker MV Sounion, which was just lately attacked by Iran-aligned Houthi militants, is about to start, the European Union’s mission within the Crimson Sea, Aspides, stated on Monday.
Aspides stated in an announcement that “a number of fires” continued to burn on the Greek-registered vessel, which is laden with about 1 million barrels of crude oil, including that there have been no seen indicators of an oil spill.
The salvage operation is more likely to be advanced and if a spill happens, it has the potential to be among the many largest from a ship in recorded historical past and will trigger an environmental disaster in an space that’s notably harmful to entry.
“The MV SOUNION, as a result of great amount of crude oil it carries, presents a big environmental risk. Personal firms are concerned within the salvage operation that’s about to start out,” Aspides stated on X.
A supply aware of the matter informed Reuters that tug boats have been able to function however it could require an on-spot inspection earlier than a choice is made on whether or not to switch the cargo to a different vessel or transfer the ship to a secure port first.
The EU’s naval drive stated on Monday it’ll present safety to the tug boats that can take care of the salvage operation.
The Iran-aligned Houthis have been waging a marketing campaign towards business delivery to assist Palestinians within the warfare between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
On Monday, a Saudi-owned crude tanker and a Panama-flagged oil ship have been attacked within the Crimson Sea off Yemen, two sources aware of the matter stated, though it was unclear if the vessels have been hit by Yemeni Houthi militants.
(Reporting by Jaidaa Taha, Ahmed Elimam and Renee Maltezou in Athens; Modifying by Tomasz Janowski)
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