By Al-Fassel | 2024-08-26

A French destroyer operating as part of the European Union (EU) Aspides naval mission has rescued all 25 crew members from a merchant vessel after the Iran-backed Houthis attacked it in the Red Sea August 21.

As it transported the crew of Greek-flagged oil tanker MV Sounion to Djibouti, "the nearest safe port of call," the EU mission warned that the abandoned ship "now represents a navigational and environmental hazard."

The Iranian-backed Houthis claimed the attack, firing several projectiles at the Sounion that hit the vessel as it transited the Red Sea off the Houthi-controlled port of al-Hodeidah.

The vessel was transporting 150,000 tons of crude from Iraq to Greece, Al-Arabiya reported. Owned by Greek shipping company Delta Tankers, it carried a crew of 23 Filipinos and two Russians, according to Greece's port authority.

The attack caused a fire and cut engine power, per the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO).

The unmanned vessel is now anchored in the Red Sea between Eritrea and Yemen, and the fire was reportedly contained, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC).

The EU naval mission was formed in February to protect merchant vessels in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks. It fortifies international efforts already in place to preserve security in the maritime corridor, including US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian.

Environmental impact

The Houthis have been attacking international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November in a campaign they claim is in support of Gaza.

The group has been accused of exploiting regional sympathy for the Palestinian cause to cover up their own failures of governance in Yemen, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in both Gaza and Yemen in the process.

"Once again, the Houthis have attacked a ship that is carrying oil and that could likely spill into the Red Sea, creating an environmental disaster," Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said.

"Not exactly sure how that helps anyone in Gaza."

In an August 21 statement, Greek Maritime Affairs Minister Christos Stylianides said the attack "constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and a serious threat to the security of international shipping."

"Such acts put the lives of seafarers at risk and disrupt the free movement of goods along vital maritime routes."

In a separate incident south of the port of Aden, another ship reported six explosions in close proximity over the past 24 hours, UKMTO said August 22.

The US military said it destroyed a Houthi surface-to-air missile and radar system in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen on August 21, and the next day destroyed three of the group's drones over the Red Sea and Yemen.