The Greek-flagged oil tanker "Sounion", which was attacked by Yemen's Houthi forces in the Red Sea in 2024, has been successfully recovered, preventing an oil spill, a security company said on Friday.
Last year, the "Sounion" carrying one million barrels of crude oil was initially attacked and later booby-trapped by Houthi rebels, resulting in a fire on board the vessel.
It took several months for the rescue team to tow the ship, put out the fire and safely offload the oil.
Houthi forces attacked the tanker on 21 August using small arms fire and a drone.
A French Navy destroyer operating as part of Operation Aspides rescued the crew, which consisted of 25 sailors of Filipino and Russian origin, as well as four members of a private security company's staff.
Operation Aspides has ensured the European Union's naval presence in the Red Sea area since October 2023.
As part of the rescue operation of the oil tanker "Sounion", the crew was later transported to Djibouti.
A few days after the sailors were exfiltrated, the Houthis released images showing explosives installed on board the tanker.
The Houthis who control Yemen, with the support of Iran, have attacked around a hundred merchant navy vessels with missiles and drones since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023.
Houthi forces are attacking ships linked to Israel, the United States or the United Kingdom in the Red Sea to force an end to the Israeli military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
