DUBAI: A brand new try has begun to attempt to salvage an oil tanker burning within the Purple Sea after assaults by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, a European Union naval mission mentioned Saturday.
The EU’s Operation Aspides printed photographs dated Saturday of its vessels escorting three ships heading to the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion.
The mission has “been actively concerned on this advanced endeavor, by making a safe setting, which is important for the tugboats to conduct the towing operation,” the EU mentioned.
A telephone quantity for the mission rang unanswered Saturday. Nevertheless, satellite tv for pc photographs taken Saturday morning by Planet Labs PBC and later analyzed by The Related Press confirmed what seemed to be the three salvage vessels near the Sounion. A warship may very well be seen close by.
The Greek state information company ANA-MPA later reported the Aigaion Pelagos, a Greek-flagged tugboat, was concerned within the effort. It mentioned “three frigates, helicopters and a particular forces unit” backed the salvagers.
“Regardless of difficult circumstances, with temperatures reaching as much as 400 levels Celsius (752 levels Fahrenheit) because of the hearth, the specialised salvage workforce efficiently secured the tanker to the Aigaion Pelagos,” the report mentioned.
The Sounion got here below assault from the Houthis starting Aug. 21. The vessel had been staffed by a crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, in addition to 4 non-public safety personnel, who had been taken by a French destroyer to close by Djibouti.
The Houthis later planted explosives aboard the ship and detonated them. That is led to fears the ship’s 1 million barrels of crude oil may spill into the Purple Sea.
The Houthis have focused greater than 80 vessels with missiles and drones because the warfare in Gaza began in October. They seized one vessel and sank two within the marketing campaign that additionally killed 4 sailors. One of many sunken vessels, the Tutor, went down after the Houthis planted explosives aboard it and after its crew deserted it resulting from an earlier assault, the insurgent group later acknowledged.
Different missiles and drones have both been intercepted by a US-led coalition within the Purple Sea or failed to achieve their targets.
The rebels keep that they aim ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to pressure an finish to Israel’s marketing campaign towards Hamas in Gaza. Nevertheless, lots of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the battle, together with some sure for Iran.
The EU’s Operation Aspides printed photographs dated Saturday of its vessels escorting three ships heading to the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion.
The mission has “been actively concerned on this advanced endeavor, by making a safe setting, which is important for the tugboats to conduct the towing operation,” the EU mentioned.
A telephone quantity for the mission rang unanswered Saturday. Nevertheless, satellite tv for pc photographs taken Saturday morning by Planet Labs PBC and later analyzed by The Related Press confirmed what seemed to be the three salvage vessels near the Sounion. A warship may very well be seen close by.
The Greek state information company ANA-MPA later reported the Aigaion Pelagos, a Greek-flagged tugboat, was concerned within the effort. It mentioned “three frigates, helicopters and a particular forces unit” backed the salvagers.
“Regardless of difficult circumstances, with temperatures reaching as much as 400 levels Celsius (752 levels Fahrenheit) because of the hearth, the specialised salvage workforce efficiently secured the tanker to the Aigaion Pelagos,” the report mentioned.
The Sounion got here below assault from the Houthis starting Aug. 21. The vessel had been staffed by a crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, in addition to 4 non-public safety personnel, who had been taken by a French destroyer to close by Djibouti.
The Houthis later planted explosives aboard the ship and detonated them. That is led to fears the ship’s 1 million barrels of crude oil may spill into the Purple Sea.
The Houthis have focused greater than 80 vessels with missiles and drones because the warfare in Gaza began in October. They seized one vessel and sank two within the marketing campaign that additionally killed 4 sailors. One of many sunken vessels, the Tutor, went down after the Houthis planted explosives aboard it and after its crew deserted it resulting from an earlier assault, the insurgent group later acknowledged.
Different missiles and drones have both been intercepted by a US-led coalition within the Purple Sea or failed to achieve their targets.
The rebels keep that they aim ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to pressure an finish to Israel’s marketing campaign towards Hamas in Gaza. Nevertheless, lots of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the battle, together with some sure for Iran.