Tanker adrift after multiple attacks in the Red Sea, UK maritime agency says


August 21, 2024 

An Israeli navy missile boat patrols in the Red Sea off the coast of Israel’s southern port city of Eliat on 26 December, 2023 [ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images]

Greek-flagged oil tanker, “Sounion”, was adrift in the Red Sea on Wednesday after coming under multiple attacks, which sparked a fire on board, the UK maritime agency said, Reuters reports.

The vessel was attacked by two small boats and struck by multiple projectiles off Yemen’s port city of Hudaydah on Wednesday morning, the Greek shipping ministry and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

In a later update, the UKMTO said the “Sounion” had reported coming under renewed attack, causing a fire on board and causing the vessel to lose engine power and the ability to manoeuvre.

Delta Tankers, the ship’s operator, confirmed the ship was adrift and had sustained minor damage. Its crew was assessing the situation and it would proceed on its journey, it said in a statement, declining to comment further.

There were no reports of injuries among the 25 crew members – two Russians and the rest Filipinos.

A maritime source told Reuters the vessel was expected to be able to sail “relying on its own means”.

Houthi fighters have launched a series of attacks on international shipping near Yemen since last November in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Palestine.

The “Sounion” reported being approached by two small craft with about 15 people on board and said there was a brief exchange of small arms fire during the incident, 77 nautical miles (142 km) west of Hudaydah, the UMKTO said.

British security firm, Ambrey, separately reported another incident in the same area, saying “the vessel was engaged by small arms fire from two skiffs in a previous incident 10NM further south”, it said, without naming the ship involved.

The attacks on shipping have drawn US and British retaliatory strikes on Houthi territories and disrupted global trade, as ship owners re-route vessels away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal to sail the longer route around the southern tip of Africa.