A Greek tanker drifts burning in the Red Sea after a Houthi attack. There had previously been a firefight. There are no casualties.
On Wednesday, Houthi rebels attacked a Greek oil tanker. They approached the “Sounion” of the Greek shipping company Delta Tankers in two small boats. There was an exchange of fire “with light weapons”, according to the British Maritime Safety Authority (UKMTO).
Following the impact of three projectiles, a fire broke out on board and there was an engine failure. Since then, the tanker has been drifting and is no longer under control, according to reports. However, there have been no injuries. According to the port authority, there were 25 crew members on board, including two Russians and 23 Filipinos.
No injuries after Houthi attack
The “Sounion” was on its way from Iraq to a port near the Greek capital Athens. According to the UKMTO, the incident occurred 57 nm south of the Yemeni capital Aden.
The Houthi movement has been repeatedly attacking merchant ships in the Red Sea since October last year – “in solidarity” with the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The attacks have severely disrupted shipping traffic in the strategically important region, which accounts for 12% of global maritime trade. For months, almost all shipping companies have been diverting their ships to the much longer route around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.
