The Houthi rebels has agreed to allow tugboats and rescue ships to reach a damaged crude oil tanker they attacked in the Red Sea, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said on Wednesday.
The Greek-flagged Sounion tanker is carrying 150,000 tonnes, or 1 million barrels, of crude oil and poses an environmental hazard, and any spill has the potential to be among the largest from a ship in recorded history, shipping officials said.
Iran’s UN mission in New York said that several countries have reached out to the Houthis requesting a temporary truce for the entry of tugboats and rescue ships into the incident area, adding that the Houthis has consented to this request “in consideration of humanitarian and environmental concerns”.
Meanwhile the Houthi rebels spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam said on Wednesday there is no temporary truce and the rebels only agreed to allow the towing of oil tanker Sounion.
The Sounion was targeted last week by multiple projectiles off Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah. There have been seemingly conflicting reports about oil escaping from the ship. Reuters has not independently confirmed if the oil is leaking or spilling from the vessel.
The Pentagon said on Tuesday a third party had tried to send two tugs to help salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them.
In a statement on Wednesday, Iran’s UN mission said “the failure to provide aid and prevent an oil spill in the Red Sea stems from the negligence of certain countries, rather than concerns over the possibility of being targeted.”