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Sounion appears to be leaking after the Houthis threatened salvage companies

US Pentagon officials told reporters they believe the Greek-owned tanker Sounio Oil is spilling into the Red Sea, but the spokesman declined to comment on what could be done to avert an environmental disaster. Speaking to reporters, the spokesman said they were aware of Houthis' threats against a possible salvage operation, but did not specify whether this occurred before or after the vessel was set on fire.

“The MV Sounio “The ship now sits immobilized in the Red Sea, where it is currently burning and appears to be leaking oil, posing both a hazard to shipping and a potential environmental disaster,” Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a press conference on Tuesday. “These are simply reckless acts of terrorism that continue to destabilize global and regional commerce, endanger the lives of innocent civilians, and threaten the vibrant maritime ecosystem in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the Houthis' backyard.”

The Pentagon's claim that the tanker is leaking follows similar statements on the internet and on several satellite images. The tanker is carrying 150,000 tonnes (around 900,000 barrels of Iraqi crude oil). EUNAVOR Aspides said observers believed five fires were burning. Aspides said yesterday it had seen no evidence of a major leak, but warned of the significant dangers to the region.

Asked by reporters whether the U.S. or its allies are doing anything to stop the fires or improve the current situation, Ryder remained vague about what might be done, saying only that U.S. Central Command “continues to monitor and assess the situation.” Operator Delta Tankers also declined to comment, citing safety concerns.

“We are aware that a third party attempted to send two tugboats to the vessel to assist in the recovery, but they were warned by the Houthis and threatened with attack. This again shows their blatant disregard not only for human life but also for the potential environmental disaster this represents,” Ryder said in response to a reporter's question.

EUNAVFOR images clearly showed the bridge destroyed by the Houthis in the attacks after the ship was abandoned in another attempt to disable it. EUNAVFOR reported that the fires needed for the attack appeared to have been extinguished when the ship was abandoned, but it was disabled and no longer navigable.

Yemeni government officials also pointed out the danger that the ship could sink or begin its explorations in the Red Sea, just 85 nautical miles from Hudaida.

“Any oil spill in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden will threaten Yemeni fish stocks, expose millions of Yemenis in coastal cities to toxic gases, disrupt the operations of Yemeni ports, pollute the Red Sea desalination plants and disrupt their supplies,” said Moammar Al-Eryani, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Yemen. “Yemen will lose the fisheries that provide livelihoods for 1.7 million Yemenis and destroy biodiversity and the ecosystem in the region.”

His dire warnings are similar to those made by the United Nations more than two years ago when it organized efforts to shift oil out of the FSO. SaferThey had predicted that if the Safer failed and released a similar amount of oil as on the Sounio It would take 25 years for the region to recover. The UN estimated the cost of the cleanup at $20 billion and said it would disrupt shipping in the Red Sea for extended periods, costing billions of dollars a day.

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