UNITED NATIONS/ADEN: Yemen’s Houthi group has agreed to allow tugboats and rescue ships to reach a damaged crude oil tanker in the Red Sea, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said on Wednesday. The Iran-aligned Houthi militants had attacked the Greek-flagged vessel last week.
The Sounion tanker is carrying 150,000 tonnes, or 1 million barrels, of crude oil and poses a major environmental hazard. Shipping officials said any spill has the potential to be among the largest from a ship in recorded history.
“Several countries have reached out to ask Ansarullah (the Houthis), requesting a temporary truce for the entry of tugboats and rescue ships into the incident area,” Iran’s U.N. mission in New York said. “In consideration of humanitarian and environmental concerns, Ansarullah has consented to this request.”
Yemen’s Houthis spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters on Wednesday there is no temporary truce and the group only agreed to allow the towing of oil tanker Sounion after several international parties contacted the group.
The militants began aerial drone and missile strikes on the Red Sea in November in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. In over 70 attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers.
In June the Houthi rebels released footage showing their attack on the MV Tutor, a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier, in the Red Sea on June 12. The crew was rescued, but the ship sank with its cargo days after the strike.
BREAKING:
🇾🇪🇮🇱 AlJazeera obtained Exclusive footage that shows Ansarallah’s “Houthis” attack on the ship “Tutor” in the Red Sea using drone boats pic.twitter.com/HqwoAPiYqF
— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) June 19, 2024
Pentagon spokesman Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said on Tuesday that a third party had tried to send two tugs to help salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them.
Iran’s U.N. mission responded on Wednesday: “The failure to provide aid and prevent an oil spill in the Red Sea stems from the negligence of certain countries, rather than concerns over the possibility of being targeted.”
(REUTERS)
