DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A significant operation has successfully salvaged the MV Sounion oil tanker, which had been ablaze in the Red Sea for several weeks following an attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. This situation posed a severe threat of a major oil spill, according to a private security firm that reported the successful completion of the salvage on Friday.
The Sounion was carrying approximately 1 million barrels of crude oil when it was hit and subsequently sabotaged with explosives by the Houthis, part of their broader strategy linked to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israeli military forces announced further strikes against what they identified as Houthi military installations in Yemen, targeting locations such as the Hizaz power station and ports in Hodeidah and Ras Isa. Houthi-controlled media reported casualties from these strikes, with one worker confirmed dead and six injured at Ras Isa port, following previous drone attacks launched by the Houthis aimed at Israeli targets.
There has been no immediate response from the Houthis regarding the salvaged Sounion. These rebels have maintained control over Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, for more than ten years and have been engaged in ongoing conflict with a Saudi-led coalition that supports Yemen’s exiled government.
The salvage operation took several months, during which time teams worked to extinguish the onboard fires, patch the cargo tanks, and offload the remaining crude oil. Ambrey, the private security company involved, noted, “Over three challenging weeks, the fires were extinguished, cargo tanks patched and pressurized with inert gas, and the vessel declared safe.” The tanker was eventually towed north to Suez in early October for the successful removal of its cargo.
The U.S. State Department previously issued warnings, indicating that a spill from the Sounion could have been catastrophic, estimated at four times the scale of the infamous Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989.
Initially, the Houthi rebels attacked the Greek-flagged Sounion on August 21, employing small arms, projectiles, and a drone boat. The crew, consisting of 25 Filipinos, Russians, and four private security guards, was rescued by a French destroyer that was part of the European Union’s Operation Aspides. The crew abandoned the vessel and were safely transported to Djibouti.
Following the attack, the Houthis shared a video claiming responsibility by showcasing the explosives they had placed onboard the Sounion and igniting them, a tactic previously employed in their campaign.
Since the onset of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have launched assaults on around 100 merchant vessels using missiles and drones, resulting in the seizure of one ship and the sinking of two others, alongside the loss of four sailors. Notably, various missile and drone attacks have been thwarted by a U.S.-led coalition in the Red Sea, averting damage to several Western military vessels.
The Houthis assert that their attacks are focused on vessels affiliated with Israel, the U.S., or the U.K., aiming to pressure these nations to cease military actions against Hamas in Gaza. However, many ships targeted in these incidents have little or no ties to the ongoing conflict, including some vessels en route to Iran.
Though the frequency of Houthi maritime attacks has diminished in recent weeks, especially against ships at sea, they continue to engage in launching drones and missiles directed at Israel.
