WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The United States has warned of a major environmental disaster as a result of oil leaking in large volume from a Greek oil tanker which was damaged in attack by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea last month.
Salvage efforts are underway in the Southern Red Sea for the disabled MV Delta Sounion, which is still on fire, U.S. Central Command said.
The Greek-flagged oil tanker, carrying a million barrels of crude oil, was attacked by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists on August 21. The ship was sailing from Iraq to Greece with a crew of two Russian and 23 Filipino sailors. It was hit by gunfire and unidentified projectiles from two small boats, and caught fire. The crew has evacuated with the help of a European warship.
Two tugs were sent to the vessel to help salvage it, but they were turned away by the Houthis with threat of being attacked, the Pentagon said.
The US State Department warned at that time about a possible spill of oil four times the size of the Exxon Valdez disaster, which released 257,000 barrels off the coast of Alaska in 1989.
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