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23 Filipinos rescued from stricken oil tanker in Red Sea

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Agence France-Presse

<div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3066719"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script></div><p>An oil tanker&#x27;s crew members, including 23 Filipinos, were rescued after an attack in the Red Sea off Yemen but the stricken ship now poses an &quot;environmental hazard&quot;, an EU naval mission said Thursday.</p><p>Several projectiles hit the Greek-flagged Sounion off the rebel-held Yemeni port of Hodeida on Wednesday, causing a fire and cutting engine power, according to the UKMTO maritime agency which is run by Britain&#x27;s Royal Navy.</p><p>The attack was claimed by Yemen&#x27;s Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who have waged a campaign against international shipping that they say is in support of Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war.</p><p>In a statement, the Huthis said the Sounion &quot;belongs to a company that has ties with the Israeli enemy&quot; and was &quot;accurately and directly hit&quot; with drones and missiles.</p><p>The European Union&#x27;s Aspides mission said it sent a ship to rescue the crew of the vessel, which was carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil.</p><p>Later on Thursday, UKMTO said: &quot;The vessel is now at anchor and all crew have been evacuated.&quot;</p><p>The Sounion, owned by Greek shipping company Delta Tankers, carried a crew of 25 people, including 23 Filipinos and two Russians, according to Greece&#x27;s ports authority.</p><p>&quot;All on board the MV Sounion were subsequently rescued and are being transported to Djibouti, the nearest safe port of call,&quot; the Aspides mission said in a statement on social media platform X.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/1/only-78-filipino-seafarers-refused-to-board-ships-sailing-in-waters-at-risk-of-houthi-attacks-1531">Only 78 Filipino seafarers refused to board ships sailing in waters at risk of Houthi attacks</a></div><p>The unmanned vessel is now anchored in the Red Sea between Eritrea and Yemen, according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC), run by a Western naval coalition.</p><p>The EU naval force, formed in February to protect merchant vessels in the Red Sea from attacks by the Huthi rebels, warned that the ship &quot;now represents a navigational and environmental hazard&quot;.</p><p>&quot;It is essential that everyone in the area exercises caution and refrains from any actions that could lead to a deterioration of the current situation,&quot; it said.</p><div><strong>6 EXPLOSIONS IN 24 HOURS </strong></div><p>According to JMIC, the ship was abandoned and the fire was reported to be contained, with one crew member sustaining a minor injury.</p><p>The Greek ports authority said the ship had departed from Iraq and was destined for a port near Athens where many refineries are based.</p><p>Delta Tankers said that &quot;plans are in place to move the vessel to a safer destination where a full assessment (checks and any repairs) can be undertaken&quot;.</p><p>It did not specify where the ship would be taken to.</p><p>This is the third Delta Tankers vessel attacked in the Red Sea this month, after Delta Blue and Delta Atlantica, according to shipping data.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/6/20/houthis-release-video-showing-attack-on-mv-tutor-in-red-sea-1244">Houthis release video showing attack on ship with Filipino crew</a></div><p>It is also the latest involving Philippines crew. One Filipino remains missing from a Red Sea attack on the MV Tutor in June, while 17 Filipino crew of the Galaxy Leader have remained in Huthi captivity since the ship was seized last November.</p><p>In a separate incident south of the Yemeni port of Aden, another ship reported six explosions in close proximity over the past 24 hours, UKMTO said.</p><p>The latest blast, caused by a sea drone, inflicted minor damage, UKMTO said Thursday, adding that the vessel and crew are reported safe and proceeding to the next port of call.</p><p>The Huthis, in their Thursday statement, said their &quot;operations... will not stop until the aggression is stopped&quot;, referring to Israel&#x27;s military operations in Gaza.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/6/7/us-destroys-drones-missiles-in-houthi-controlled-areas-of-yemen-719">US destroys drones, missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen</a></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>An oil tanker's crew, including 23 Filipinos, were rescued after an attack in the Red Sea off Yemen. </p>

An oil tanker's crew, including 23 Filipinos, were rescued after an attack in the Red Sea off Yemen.