A Greek-owned oil tanker, Sounion, was attacked in the Red Sea on Wednesday. The vessel, carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, was first targeted by gunfire from two small boats 77 nautical miles west of Hudaydah, Yemen. Later, it was hit by three unidentified projectiles, causing a fire and engine failure.
All 25 crew members were rescued by a European warship and transported to Djibouti. The fire on the Sounion was extinguished before the crew abandoned the ship. The tanker, which is now anchored, poses a navigational and environmental risk.
No group has claimed responsibility, but U.S. officials suspect the Yemen-based Houthis, who have previously attacked commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis have justified these attacks as support for Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas conflict, although they often falsely claim to target vessels linked to Israel, the U.S., or the UK.
The incident has drawn condemnation from Greece's maritime affairs minister as a violation of international law. The Sounion’s operator, Delta Tankers, is working on a plan to move the vessel for further checks and repairs. Meanwhile, another ship, the Panama-flagged SW North Wind I, reported explosions nearby in the Gulf of Aden but continued its journey safely.
