Yemen’s Houthi group has agreed to allow tugboats and rescue ships to access a damaged crude oil tanker in the Red Sea, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said, after the Iranian-aligned militants attacked the Greek-flagged vessel last week.
The Sounion tanker is carrying 150,000 tonnes, or 1m barrels, of crude oil and poses an environmental hazard, shipping officials said.
Any spill has the potential to be among the largest from a ship in recorded history.
Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam denied on Wednesday there would be a temporary truce, telling Reuters that the group only agreed to allow the towing of oil tanker Sounion after several international parties contacted the group.
The Pentagon said on Tuesday a third party had tried to send two tugs to help salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them.
There have been seemingly conflicting reports about oil escaping from the ship, but on Wednesday, the European Union’s mission in the Red Sea said there was no oil spill in the waters near the Greek-flagged tanker.
The EU mission, called Aspides, added that the Sounion was still anchored and not drifting.
The Pentagon said on Tuesday that the tanker was still on fire in the Red Sea and appeared to be leaking oil.
The Houthis, who control Yemen’s most populous regions, 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.
After the Iranian-aligned militants attacked the Greek-flagged vessel last week, the Houthi group in Yemen has consented to let tugboats and rescue ships to reach a damaged crude oil tanker in the Red Sea, according to Iran’s mission to the UN.
Carrying 150,000 tonnes, or 1 million barrels, of crude oil, the Sounion tanker is a risk to the environment, according to shipping officials. Whatever leak from a ship could be one of the biggest in history.
The Iranian UN mission in New York stated, “Several countries have reached out to… request a temporary truce for the entry of tugboats and rescue ships into the incident area.” The Houthis had granted the request because of “humanitarian and environmental concerns.”.
Mohammed Abdulsalam, a spokesperson for the Houthis, told Reuters on Wednesday that the group had only agreed to permit the towing of the oil tanker Sounion after being contacted by multiple foreign parties. Abdulsalam denied that there would be a brief ceasefire.
A third party attempted to send two tugs to assist in saving the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them, according to a Pentagon statement on Tuesday.
Iran’s UN mission stated in a statement on Wednesday that “the inability to offer assistance and stop an oil spill in the Red Sea is due to the carelessness of some nations, rather than worries about potential targeting.”. “.
Several projectiles were fired at the Sounion last week off the port of Hodeidah in Yemen. Despite apparently contradictory reports, the European Union’s mission in the Red Sea declared on Wednesday that there had not been any oil spill in the waters surrounding the tanker flying the Greek flag.
The European Union mission, known as Aspides, also stated that the Union remained anchored and was not drifting.
The tanker appeared to be leaking oil and was still on fire in the Red Sea, according to a Pentagon statement on Tuesday.
The Houthis, who rule over the most populated areas of Yemen, started aerial drone and missile attacks on the Red Sea in November, claiming to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians fighting alongside Israel against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. They have killed at least three seafarers and sunk two ships in more than 70 attacks.
