후티 반군의 소행으로 추정되는 공격으로 그리스 회사 소속 유조선이 불에 타 표류중

[위종민]

그리스의 델타 탱커즈가 관리중인 유조선 MV Sounion이 예멘 해상에서 두 척의 소형 선박에서 발사된 투사체에 맞아 화재가 발생해 동력을 잃고 표류중이라고 합니다. 보통 자신들의 공격을 바로 SNS 상에서 밝히는 후티 반군은 아직까지 이 공격에 대한 실행 여부를 밝히지 않았습니다. 

배를 포기한 위치는 후티 반군이 장악한 예멘의 항구 호데이다에서 서쪽으로 77해리 가량 떨어진 곳이었으며, 2024년 8월 21 수요일 06:00시에 두 척의 소형보트에서 1차로 공격이 벌어졌고, 이 때 3~4발의 포탄에 맞아 조타기가 손상됐다고 합니다. 09:00시에 추가 공격이 벌어져 승무원들이 배를 포기했다고 하네요. 

Greek-Managed Ship on Fire, Drifting Following Attack off Yemen - USNI News

Greek-Managed Ship on Fire, Drifting Following Attack off Yemen

Heather Mongilio

August 21, 2024 7:17 PM - Updated: August 21, 2024 11:16 PM

The coast of Somalia on the Gulf of Aden is pictured as the International Space Station orbited 258 miles above the African continent in 2020. NASA Photo

A merchant ship is on fire off the coast of Yemen after it was hit by an unknown projectile, according to a report by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.

MV Sounion, managed by Greek Company Delta Tankers, was hit by the projectile, which led to a fire onboard. The ship lost power and is drifting, according to the report.

This is the second attack against Sounion, which was approached by two small crafts earlier in the day. Around the same time, two projectiles hit the ship.

It is unclear if the Houthis, which have targeted ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in protest of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, are responsible. Houthi spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Sare’e has not posted anything on social media site X since Aug. 16. Generally, Sare’e posts any operations by the Houthis, sometimes a day after, on the site.

MV Sounion

If the Houthis are responsible, it would be the second Delta Tankers-managed ship targeted by the Yemen-based group, according to USNI News’ timeline of Red Sea Activity.

The Houthis targeted Delta Atlantica on Aug. 12.

Houthi activity has been relatively quiet in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden over the past week. U.S. strikes on Houthi weapons and infrastructure continue, although there were no Central Command announcements between Aug. 21 and Aug. 18.

Oil tanker attacked by Houthis, on fire and abandoned in Red Sea - defenceWeb

Oil tanker attacked by Houthis, on fire and abandoned in Red Sea

Africa Ports & Ships -

21st August 2024

A Houthi USV impacting a merchant vessel off Yemen.

The Greek oil products tanker Sounion (IMO 9312145) is reported to be ablaze and abandoned by her crew at a position roughly 77 nautical miles west of the Houthi-controlled Yemeni port of Hodeidah.

The initial attack came at around 06:00 local time from two small boats early on Wednesday 21 August 2024 as the ship was sailing in the lower Red Sea. Sounion had earlier departed from the Iraqi port of Al Basrah. AIS reports indicated her destination as Singapore which is in the opposite direction to which the tanker was sailing.

The 274-metre long, 50m wide 163,759-dwt tanker was struck by three or four projectiles which damaged the ship’s steering. An exchange of small arms fire also took place before the small boats, with a reported 15 people on board, left the scene. Sounion meanwhile was left unable to steer but was otherwise reported to be undamaged.

The Greek shipping ministry and the UK maritime agency UK MTO confirmed this report and added there were no injuries.

At around 09:00 there was news of a further attack on Sounion which was set on fire when the ship was hit by two projectiles, causing the crew to abandon the vessel which had also lost her engine power.

A subsequent report from UK MTO stated there was a fire onboard and the vessel was drifting and not under command.

Sounion had a crew of 25 seafarers – two Russians and 23 Filipinos.

Sounion is owned by Delta Tankers. Earlier this month, the Houthis attacked the Delta Tankers-owned Delta Blue four times in the space of 24 hours with rocket-propelled grenades. The attacks caused no injuries or physical damage. The Delta Atlantica was also attacked this month.

The increasing use of small spotter boats may be an indication that strikes by US and UK forces on Houthi positions are having an effect of sufficiently degrading the rebels’ ability to use drones and missiles, causing them to resort to identifying passing ships by boat.

US and UK air force and naval assets in the area have paid special attention to Houthi radar installations, forcing the increased use of spotter boats to seek out passing ships.

Written by Africa Ports & Ships and republished with permission. The original article can be found here.