The Houthis temporarily agreed to a truce, allowing the tanker Sounion to be towed
Yemen's Houthis have agreed to a "temporary truce" to facilitate the rescue of an oil tanker they attacked as it threatened to bring ecological disaster to the Red Sea, Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations said Monday.
Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations said "multiple parties" had asked the Houthis for a "temporary truce to allow tugboats and rescue vessels to enter the area." "Taking into account humanitarian and environmental concerns, the Houthis agreed to the request," the mission added.
Yemeni Houthi armed spokesman Mohammed Abdu Salam said on the evening of August 28 local time that after communicating with international organizations, including relevant European agencies, relevant parties were allowed to tow the Sounion tanker that had been attacked before to avoid environmental disasters.
Yemen's Houthi armed forces issued a statement on the 22nd, saying that the Houthi armed forces attacked two passing ships in violation of their ban, including the oil tanker Sounion sailing in the Red Sea. The European Union said the Greek-flagged Sounion was carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, which could cause environmental pollution after the attack.
Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), condemned the attack, saying: "This is yet another unacceptable attack on international shipping, putting the lives of innocent seafarers at risk," he added. "The risk of an oil spill remains high and will cause extremely serious harm to the environment."
While initial reports from the Pentagon indicated that oil was leaking from the ship, the EU Naval Force posted on social media platform X on Wednesday that fires had been detected in multiple places on the main deck of the Sounion and that there had been no oil spill.
The crew of the Sounion, including 23 Filipinos and two Russians, were rescued by ships from the European Union's Operation Shield. The European Union also warned last week that tankers without crews "pose a danger to navigation and the environment."
Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations said "multiple parties" had asked the Houthis for a "temporary truce to allow tugboats and rescue vessels to enter the area." "Taking into account humanitarian and environmental concerns, the Houthis agreed to the request," the mission added.
Yemeni Houthi armed spokesman Mohammed Abdu Salam said on the evening of August 28 local time that after communicating with international organizations, including relevant European agencies, relevant parties were allowed to tow the Sounion tanker that had been attacked before to avoid environmental disasters.
Yemen's Houthi armed forces issued a statement on the 22nd, saying that the Houthi armed forces attacked two passing ships in violation of their ban, including the oil tanker Sounion sailing in the Red Sea. The European Union said the Greek-flagged Sounion was carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, which could cause environmental pollution after the attack.
Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), condemned the attack, saying: "This is yet another unacceptable attack on international shipping, putting the lives of innocent seafarers at risk," he added. "The risk of an oil spill remains high and will cause extremely serious harm to the environment."
While initial reports from the Pentagon indicated that oil was leaking from the ship, the EU Naval Force posted on social media platform X on Wednesday that fires had been detected in multiple places on the main deck of the Sounion and that there had been no oil spill.
The crew of the Sounion, including 23 Filipinos and two Russians, were rescued by ships from the European Union's Operation Shield. The European Union also warned last week that tankers without crews "pose a danger to navigation and the environment."
