On August 21, 2024, the Greek oil tanker attack involving the Sounion left the vessel adrift in the Red Sea following a series of targeted assaults. The tanker, flying the Greek flag and carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, was struck by gunfire from two small boats approximately 140 kilometers west of Hodeidah, Yemen.
The initial Greek oil tanker attack escalated quickly as three projectiles hit the Sounion, igniting a fire onboard. This damage resulted in the vessel losing engine power and drifting, creating a significant environmental hazard. Fortunately, all 25 crew members were unharmed, saved by the French destroyer.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) attributes the attack to Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who have been intensifying their assaults on commercial vessels in the region since November 2023. The Houthis have claimed that their actions are in support of Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Despite the presence of Western naval forces and retaliatory airstrikes by the US and UK on Houthi positions, such attacks continue unabated.
On the same day, a separate incident involving the Panama-flagged cargo vessel SW North Wind I reported three underwater explosions in the Gulf of Aden. While the crew was unharmed, this event adds to the growing list of maritime threats in the region, which have included the sinking of the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Tutor and severe damage to another Liberian-flagged oil tanker.
The Sounion, operated by Athens-based Delta Tankers, is now anchored between Yemen and Eritrea. Efforts are being made to relocate the vessel to a safer location for further inspection and repairs. The EU’s Red Sea naval mission, Aspides, responded to the Sounion‘s distress call, evacuating the crew to Djibouti and neutralizing an unmanned surface vessel (USV) that posed a threat.
The Greek oil tanker attack has been widely condemned. Greek Shipping Minister Christos Stylianidis described the incident as “a blatant violation of international law and a serious threat to international shipping,” while British ambassador to Yemen, Abda Sharif, condemned the Houthi attacks as “illegal and reckless.”
The ongoing Houthi campaign against international shipping, which has significantly disrupted maritime operations in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, underscores the volatile security situation in the region. As the international community seeks to address these challenges, the risk of further escalation remains high.
