Salvagers successfully towed a Greek-flagged oil tanker that had been ablaze for weeks following attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels to a secure area, preventing any oil spill, the European Union naval mission said on Monday, according to The Associated Press.
The Houthis attacked the Sounion tanker in the Red Sea in late August, claiming the Greek-flagged tanker "belongs to a company that has ties with the Israeli enemy" and said it was "accurately and directly hit" with drones and missiles.
They later released video footage showing the oil tanker, which was carrying 150,000 metric tons of crude oil, burning in the Red Sea after their attack.
Damage to the vessel had threatened a Red Sea oil spill four times the size of the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska.
Later, the Houthis agreed to allow tugboats and rescue ships to reach the damaged Sounion in the Red Sea. That mission was subsequently abandoned after the EU’s naval mission determined that it “was not safe to proceed.
Late last week, Greece's coastguard announced it would begin towing the Sounion. That operation began on Saturday.
The EU naval mission, known as Operation Aspides, confirmed the safe relocation of the vessel in a post to X on Monday.
The mission stated that the Sounion “has been successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill.” It added, “While private stakeholders complete the salvage operation, Aspides will continue to monitor the situation.”