Salvagers abandoned effort to tow burning oil tanker in Red Sea targeted by Yemen

Salvagers abandoned an effort to tow away a burning oil tanker in the Red Sea targeted by Yemen’s Houthis as it “was not safe to proceed,” a European Union naval mission said Tuesday.

The announcement by the EU’s Operation Aspides leaves the Sounion stranded in the Red Sea, threatening to spill its 1 million barrels of oil.

“The private companies responsible for the salvage operation have concluded that the conditions were not met to conduct the towing operation and that it was not safe to proceed,” the EU mission said, without immediately elaborating. “Alternative solutions are now being explored by the private companies.

The Houthis initially attacked the Greek-flagged tanker on Aug. 21 with small arms fire, projectiles and a drone boat. A French destroyer operating as part of Operation Aspides rescued the Sounion’s crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, as well as four private security personnel, after they abandoned the vessel and took them to nearby Djibouti.

Houthis said that ship was linked to Israel