An oil tanker attacked in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Aug 21 appears to be burning and leaking, a Pentagon spokesman said on Tuesday (Aug 27).

“Sounion now sits immobilised in the Red Sea, where it is currently on fire and appears to be leaking oil, presenting both a navigational hazard and an environmental catastrophe,” Major General Patrick Ryder said in a news briefing.

The vessel is owned and operated by Greek shipping company Delta Tankers, and sails under the same flag. It was carrying about one million barrels of crude oil from Iraq to Greece. Its crew was evacuated a day after the attack. 

The Pentagon statement is the first official mention of a likely leak, after the European Union naval forces in the region said earlier this week that there were no obvious signs of a spill. 

Merchant ships crossing the Red Sea have regularly been targeted by the Houthis since last year, when Iran-backed militants stepped up their retaliation to Israel’s activities in Gaza. Thousands of ships, from container vessels to oil tankers, have opted to avoid the area, taking a longer route around the African continent and causing more congestion around some trans-shipment ports, such as Singapore. 

According to Ryder, two tug boats were sent by a third-party entity to the burning Sounion vessel to help with salvage, but they were warned away by the Houthis. The US Central Command is actively monitoring the situation and coordinating with maritime partners on how best to assist the vessel, he added.

  - Bloomberg