Fires Break Out Aboard Abandoned Tanker Hit By Yemen's Houthis: UK Agency

Fires broke out on an abandoned oil tanker that was struck earlier this week by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the UKMTO maritime agency said on Friday. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, run by Britain's Royal Navy, said it "received a report that three fires have been observed" on the Greek-owned tanker Sounion, which was hit by three projectiles on Wednesday.

The vessel "appears to be drifting," UKMTO said. The ship, owned by Greek shipping company Delta Tankers, had lost engine power and was anchored in the Red Sea between Eritrea and Yemen following Wednesday's strike by the Houthis, which caused a brief fire onboard and damaged the engine compartment. The source of the new fires remains unclear.

The vessel, which departed from Iraq and was destined for a port near Athens, was carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, according to the European Union's Red Sea naval mission, Aspides. The EU naval force, formed in February to protect merchant vessels in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthi rebels, had rescued its 25 crew members on Thursday, leaving the ship abandoned.

Delta Tankers said that "plans are in place to move the vessel to a safer destination where a full assessment (checks and any repairs) can be undertaken". It did not specify where the ship would be taken. Wednesday's strikes were the latest in a flurry of Houthi attacks against Israel-linked shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The rebels say their campaign is intended as a show of support for the Palestinians in the war between Hamas and Israel.