Burning Oil Tanker „Successfully Towed To Safe Area” Amid Urgent Red Sea Salvage Operation 

The European Union’s Operation Aspides naval force began an urgent salvage operation to tow the burning oil tanker Sounion in the southern Red Sea to safety, with hopes of preventing an environmental disaster. 

„The salvage of the MV SOUNION is a complex operation and consists of various phases. The tug boats have successfully connected to the vessel and the towing of the MV SOUNION to a safe location is in progress,” EU’s naval mission in the Red Sea, Aspides, wrote in an X post on Sunday. 

Update on the MV SOUNION salvage status

The salvage of the MV SOUNION is a complex operation and consists of various phases.

The tug boats have successfully connected to the vessel and the towing of the MV SOUNION to a safe location is in progress.

By providing protection to… pic.twitter.com/FX47QOsJLq

— EUNAVFOR ASPIDES (@EUNAVFORASPIDES) September 15, 2024

By Monday, Aspides declared the Greek-flagged ship Sounion „has been successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill,” adding that private stakeholders will complete the salvage operation while warships „will continue to monitor the situation.” 

Update on MV SOUNION salvage status

Under protection of EUNAVFOR ASPIDES 🇪🇺, MV SOUNION has been successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill. While private stakeholders complete the salvage operation, ASPIDES will continue to monitor the situation.

The completion of… pic.twitter.com/FJrk9JGNUg

— EUNAVFOR ASPIDES (@EUNAVFORASPIDES) September 16, 2024

Sounion was hit by projectiles launched by Iran-backed Houthis four weeks ago in the southern Red Sea. The crew was evacuated a day later, and the ship caught fire, which has burned ever since. There have been concerns about an environmental disaster, considering the tanker carries one million barrels of Iraqi crude. 

Video allegedly showing the MT Sounion exploding and on fire in the Red Sea. The tanker is carrying 150,000 metric tons of oil. A full release of the cargo would make it one of the worst tanker oil spills in history pic.twitter.com/470pc3OQjj

— Mike Schuler (@MikeSchuler) August 23, 2024

The attack on Sounion and the attacks on other commercial ships in the critical maritime chokepoint resulted from the West’s failed missions, such as Biden-Harris’ Operation Prosperity Guardian, that did not ensure freedom of navigation and maritime security in the shipping lane. Since October, Houthi rebels have launched over 80 attacks on vessels in the region. 

Former Navy Seal and Blackwater founder Erik Prince said this failure shows America’s „credibility and deterrence” has quickly eroded.