Fires observed on board a Greek-flagged tanker in the Red Sea, says maritime agency By Reuters

CAIRO (Reuters) – Three fires were spotted aboard a Greek-flagged oil tanker in the Red Sea, The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Friday, a day after it was evacuated by its crew after it came under attack by Yemeni Houthi Militants.

The Houthis, who control Yemen’s most populous regions, said Thursday they attacked the Sounion oil tanker in the Red Sea, as the Iran-aligned group attacks ships in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Sounion “belongs to a company that has ties to the Israeli enemy and has violated the decision to ban entry to ports in occupied Palestine,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised address.

On Friday, the UKMTO said in an advisory note that it had received reports that three fires had been observed on the vessel, which “appears to be adrift”.

The tanker, carrying 150,000 tonnes of , is now an environmental hazard, the EU’s naval mission in the Red Sea, Aspides, said on Thursday.

The Sunion was the third vessel operated by Athens-based Delta Tankers to be attacked in the Red Sea this month.

The attack caused the engine to lose power, according to UKMTO. The ship was anchored between Yemen and Eritrea, a maritime security source told Reuters on Thursday.