EU mission in Red Sea says no oil spill from tanker damaged in Houthi attack

The European Union’s mission in the Red Sea said on Wednesday there was no oil spill in the waters near the Greek-flagged tanker hit by a fiery Houthi militant attack off Yemen’s coast.

The mission, called Aspides, added that the Sounion was still anchored and not drifting.

A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the ship was leaking an unidentified substance.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday that the tanker was still on fire in the Red Sea and appeared to be leaking oil.

Reuters could not independently confirm that a leak had occurred.

The Iran-backed Houthis targeted Sounion in multiple attacks near Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah, at one point causing the vessel to erupt in a ball of flames.

The attack set off alarm bells in the environmental community because Sounion is carrying 150,000 tons, or 1 million barrels, of crude oil.

A spill of that size would be one of the largest from a ship in history, threatening to destroy the area’s fishing industry and regional ecosystems, government officials warned.

The Iran-aligned Houthis over 10 months have launched more than 70 attacks on commercial ships in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Those assaults have sunk two vessels, killed at least three crew and disrupted global trade by forcing ships to avoid the vital Suez Canal shortcut.