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A salvage operation to recover the 'Sounion' was expected to start in the coming days, On Aug 30 the ASPIDES published a letter with an an initial game plan for the salvage of the 'Sounion' with the operation starting in 48 hours, which was likely to be complex. A potential spill of 2.2 nautical milesin length has been detected in the area matching the location of the tanker, which was, however, from the vessel’s engine and not from the oil cargo onboard. "The potential spill is from the tanker's engine after the first hit,” the ASPIDES official said. All nations and all actors involved were urged to assist in preventing the environmental hazard and resolving the situation the soonest possible. The Filipino crew members returned to the country on Aug 31. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac welcomed the repatriated seamen. The other seven seafarers are also set for repatriation in coordination with their manning agencies, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa). Each received immediate financial assistance worth P75,000 from the DMW Aksyon Fund and additional cash aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Owwa. They will also receive necessary medical assessment and psycho-social counseling. The recovery operation will be carried by private companies in cooperation with forces in the area partaking in the the European Aspides operation – namely the Greek navy frigate 'Psara', the German frigate 'Hessen', the French frigate 'Chevalier Paul', the Italian destroyer 'Andrea Doria' and the Dutch support vessel 'Karel Doorman',

The barge 'Jin Hwa 39', which was towed by the 'Jin Hwa 49', was boarded by seven perpetrators while underway in the westbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of the Singapore Straits (SS) on Aug 23, 2024. The incident occurred about 3.6 nautical miles south of Tanjung Setapa, at 12.30 a.m. in pos. 1° 17' 02 N 104° 8'62 E. The pirates stole scrap metal from the barge and escaped. No injuries were reported.

Yemen's Houthi terrorits released a video on Aug 29, showing their f"ighters" boarding and planting explosives on the 'Sounion' and triggering explosions that put the Red Sea at risk of a major oil spill. The ship had been abandoned after the Houthis attacked it several times. In the video, the terrorists chant their slogan as bombs detonate aboard the tanker: “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.” The 'Sounion' was carrying about one million barrels of oil when the Houthis attacked it on Aug 21 with small arms fire, rockets and an unmanned boat. On Aug 29, the vessel was leaking some oil from where it was hit, and multiple fires were still burning. BRIT, the British-based insurer with a 100% line on the tanker, has hired two tugs to attempt the salvage, the 'Hercules' (IMO: 9558517) and 'Gladiator' (IMO: 7621011). Both were subject to sanctions from the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, and the operation may not get under way unless dispensation has been obtained. Reports with photos and video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adOZ-tsnzzg https://www.ucodigital.com.ar/noticias/los-rebeldes-huties-asaltan-un-petrolero-griego-antes-de-hacerlo-estallar-con-explosivos-mientras-los-militantes-continuan-su-guerra-contra-israel-en-el-mar-rojo/46305/ https://apnews.com/world-news/general-news-23098ab74782896d33a8c2b5726113df

On Aug 26 naval operations working for the European Union have given an update on the state of the blaze aboard the 'Sounion', which risks becoming the worst tanker spill of the 21st century. The ship, owned by Greece’s Delta Tankers, has been on fire since Aug 23 after the Houthi terrorists set it ablaze. All the crew were evacuated and hav since been transferred to Djibouti. There remained multiple fires across the main deck of the vessel, located around the hatches of the oil tanks. Additionally, a part of the superrstructure was on fire. So far there were no obvious signs of an oil spill. The ship remained anchored at the same point in international waters with the EU naval force warning the stricken ship is both a navigational and an “imminent” environmental hazard. “This situation underlines that these kinds of attacks pose not only a threat against the freedom of navigation but also to the lives of seafarers, the environment, and subsequently the life of all citizens living in that region,” the EU’s naval force stated. The US ambassador to the United Nations, has called for the Security Council to condemn the attacks and for the Houthis to cease the attacks. The militant group has repeatedly stated it will not back down in its 10-month campaign against merchant shipping until Israel stops its war with Hamas. “The Houthis’ brazen actions threaten to create an ecological disaster with devastating consequences for the region,” Thomas-Greenfield warned. Report with photo: https://splash247.com/stricken-suezmax-off-yemen-now-an-imminent-environmental-hazard/

The 'Sounion', carrying around a million barrels of crude oil, was still on fire and appeared to be leaking, the Pentagon said on Aug 27. A third party tried to send ships to help the tanker, but the Houthi terroritss threatened to attack the two tugs and warned them to stay away. They said they attacked the ship because they claimed, without any evidence, it had ties to Israel. “These are simply reckless acts of terrorism which continue to destabilize global and regional commerce, put the lives of innocent civilian mariners at risk and imperil the vibrant maritime ecosystem in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the Houthis’ own backyard,” the Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder stated. EUNAVFOR Aspides has published images of the shipin which at least five sources of fire can be seen on the ship, with flames coming out of the main tanks where the oil is stored, as well as around the bridge. The naval force said that the ship was an "imminent environmental danger." A ship whiich passed at 12 nautical miles range reported the aft having sunk, and flames with dense smoke on the deck. Reports with photos: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/28/greek-oil-tanker-attacked-in-red-sea-leaking-says-pentagon https://www.mundomaritimo.cl/noticias/tanquero-en-llamas-tras-ataque-en-el-mar-rojo-representa-un-peligro-ambiental-inminente