In the Red Sea, the operation to tow the damaged tank and prevent leaks begins

ATHENS (Reuters) – The operation has begun to tow a Greek-registered oil tanker stuck in the Red Sea after an attack by Houthi militants last month, a shipping source told Reuters on Saturday.

The safe towing of the 900-foot (274.2-meter) MV Sounion is the first step in a risky operation to save the vessel that caught fire after being repeatedly attacked on August 21.

The second step is to transfer its cargo of approximately 1 million barrels of . Saudi Arabia, a key player in the region, will provide its assistance in the project, sources said.

Any oil spill could be one of the largest from a ship, risking catastrophic environmental damage in an area that is particularly dangerous to enter. An initial effort to save the ship was called off earlier this month for safety reasons.

At least two tugboats owned by a Greece-based salvage company are involved in the latest towing attempt, sources told Reuters on Thursday.

Aspides, the European Union’s naval mission in the Red Sea, said on Saturday that its assets were in the area to protect ships involved in the operation. He described the operation as a “complex effort”.

“Creating a safe environment is necessary for tugboats to conduct towing operations,” Aspides said in a statement on Facebook (NASDAQ: ).

“The salvage operation of MV Sounion is essential to prevent a potential environmental disaster in the region. To achieve this, several public and private actors are working together.”