Oil spill feared in Red Sea as Houthis attack tanker

Published July 17, 2024
A handout picture released by the Houthis’ ‘media centre’ shows what they claim to be a missile, targeting a 
Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker in the Red Sea.—AFP
A handout picture released by the Houthis’ ‘media centre’ shows what they claim to be a missile, targeting a Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker in the Red Sea.—AFP

CAIRO: Liberia-flagged oil tanker Chios Lion was assessing damage and investigating a potential oil spill after it was attacked by Yemeni Houthis in the Red Sea, the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) said on Tuesday.

An unmanned watercraft inflicted minor damage to Chios Lion’s port side on Monday as part of a swarm of attacks by the Houthis on the vessel and another ship sailing around 100 nautical miles northwest of Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah.

“While originally headed south, following the attack the vessel turned around and back north out of the threat area to further assess the damage and investigate potential oil spillage,” the JMIC said in a statement. It added that the captain and crew were safe.

The manager of Chios Lion did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Houthis said they targeted Chios Lion and Bentley I with ballistic missiles, drones and booby-trapped boats in response to the deadly Israeli airstrike on the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis on Saturday.

Since November, Houthi attacks have exacted an economic toll on global trade by forcing ship owners to route vessels away from the Suez Canal shortcut and towards the longer, more expensive route around Africa.

They also pose a risk to the environment in the form of spilt cargo such as oil and fertiliser, as well as fuel used to power vessels.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Ultimate price
Updated 02 Nov, 2024

Ultimate price

To dismantle culture of impunity for crimes against journalists, state must ensure that perpetrators do not go unpunished.
Mastung bombing
02 Nov, 2024

Mastung bombing

INSTABILITY continues to haunt Balochistan, as Friday morning’s bombing in Mastung has shown. At least nine...
Plane speak
02 Nov, 2024

Plane speak

DESPITE all its efforts to facilitate PIA’s privatisation, it seems the government only ended up being taken for a...
Seeking investment
Updated 01 Nov, 2024

Seeking investment

Foreign visits will be fruitless unless crucial structural, policy reforms directly affecting investors are focused.
State-backed terror
01 Nov, 2024

State-backed terror

OVER the past year or so, India’s reportedly malign activities in foreign countries have increasingly come under the radar, with
Shared crisis
01 Nov, 2024

Shared crisis

WITH Lahore experiencing unprecedented levels of smog, the Punjab government has announced a series of “green...