Houthi movement allows vessels to approach damaged oil tanker

The Houthi movement in Yemen has agreed to allow tugs and rescue boats to sail to a damaged oil tanker in the Red Sea.

Iran’s UN mission said on Wednesday after the Iranian-backed movement last week attacked the Greek-flagged oil tanker “Sounion”.

“The Sounion was carrying 150,000 tons – or one million barrels – of crude oil, posing an environmental hazard. An oil spill from the tanker has the potential to be the largest in history,” Reuters reports.

“Several countries have contacted Ansarullah [the Houthi movement, ed.-] and requested a temporary ceasefire to allow tugboats and rescue boats to reach the area,” Iran’s UN mission said.

“For humanitarian and environmental reasons, Ansarullah has agreed to this request,” it said.

Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters on Wednesday that there is no temporary ceasefire and that the group has only agreed to the oil tanker being towed away.

The Sounion was attacked by several missiles last week off the Yemeni port city of al-Hudaydah.

The crew abandoned ship the following day.

The Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Sounion, which is operated by Delta Tankers. It is the third of the company’s ships to be attacked in the area in August.

Since November last year, the Houthi movement has been behind a series of attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The movement controls the most populated parts of Yemen.

In various attacks, the movement has killed at least three sailors, sunk two vessels and seized another, according to Reuters.