‘Ticking time bomb’ warning for decaying tanker off Yemen, loaded with 1.1 million barrels of crude oil
- The ship hasn’t been maintained for over five years, causing damage to the pipelines and increasing the risk of sinking
- Houthi rebels, who control the area where the ship is moored, had initially denied access to inspectors, but have now changed tack
An abandoned oil tanker lying off Yemen’s coast with 1.1 million barrels of crude on board is deteriorating badly and could rupture at any time, with disastrous results for Red Sea marine life, UN and other experts warn.
The 45-year-old FSO Safer is anchored off the port of Hodeida under the control of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who initially blocked United Nations efforts to send a team of experts to assess its condition.
Effectively a floating storage platform, it has had virtually no maintenance for five years since war broke out in the country where the Houthis have seized much of the north from the internationally recognised government.
It was reported on Sunday that the Houthis had agreed to provide access to the stranded tanker – sending a letter approving the deployment of a technical team, according to two UN sources familiar with the matter.
The UN Security Council will hold a special meeting on July 15 to discuss the crisis, after water entered the vessel’s engine room “which could have led to disaster”, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
