The towing operation of the Greek-owned tanker Sounion, located 72 nautical miles west of Hodeida, Yemen, in the Red Sea, is suspended. as it was not safe to continue, announced the naval mission Shields of the European Union in a post while pointing out that alternative solutions are now being sought.

“The private companies responsible for the rescue operation they concluded that the conditions for conducting the towing operation were not met and that it was unsafe to proceed. Alternative solutions are now being explored by private companies,” he states specifically.

In the same statement it is pointed out that “EUNAVFOR ASPIDES remains focused on its original mandate, acting as a reliable provider of EU maritime security, aiming to contribute to the freedom of navigation of merchant ships in its area of ​​operation”.

The rescue operation of the Greek-flagged tanker, which is still on fire after being attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea last month, was to begin today, the Aspides naval mission announced on Monday.

The European Union’s naval mission Shields announced that it will “guarantee the protection of the tugs that will undertake the rescue operation” and “facilitate their efforts in order to avoid an environmental disaster” in the Red Sea.

The Greek-flagged Sounion, with 150,000 tonnes of crude oil in its tanks, was repeatedly struck on August 21 off the rebel-held Red Sea port of Hodaida. The Houthis, a movement close to Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they struck it with attack drones and missiles.

The rebel movement later revealed that its members planted explosives on the vessel and detonated them, causing fires on the bridge — before finally giving “approval” for the vessel to be towed to a safe port to avoid environmental damage.