Houthi rebels in Yemen will permit salvage crews to attend to a severely damaged oil tanker in the Red Sea, the Islamic Republic’s United Nations mission said on Wednesday.
The MV Sounion, a Greek-flagged petroleum transporter, was attacked last week using surface craft and projectiles deployed by the Tehran-backed Houthis while it carried 1 million barrels of crude oil.
The vessel lost power and caught fire after the incursion, forcing personnel from a nearby French destroyer to rescue its 29 crewmembers.
Recent reports have suggested that the floundering ship is now discharging its cargo into the ocean, risking possible environmental and navigational hazards.
The targeting of the Sounion was part of an ongoing terror campaign against regional shipping companies, which was initiated by the Islamist militia in November. Spokespersons for the group claim this action is a show of solidarity with Hamas in their conflict with Israel in Gaza.
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