This archive report was first published on 12 July 2020.
Yemen's Huthis Give UN Team Access to 'Time Bomb' Oil Tanker ¶
Yemen's Huthi rebels have given the United Nations permission to inspect a decaying oil tanker off the coast of Hodeida, which experts warn could rupture at any time, causing a massive environmental disaster.
The 45-year-old FSO Safer oil tanker, anchored off the port of Hodeida, contains 1.1 million barrels of crude oil, valued at $40 million. The vessel has had virtually no maintenance for five years since the war broke out in Yemen.
According to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, water entered the vessel's engine room in May, which could have led to disaster. However, a team from Yemen's Safer Exploration and Production Operations, a public oil company partly controlled by the Huthis, sent divers in to fix the leak, narrowly avoiding the ship sinking.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned last week that if the tanker ruptures, it will devastate the Red Sea ecosystem and disrupt key shipping lanes. The Huthis must grant access before this ticking time bomb explodes, he said.
Top Huthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Huthi said on Twitter that the rebels want guarantees the vessel will be repaired and that the value of the oil on board is used to pay salaries of their employees.
Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed on Thursday said the money for the oil should be spent on health and humanitarian projects.
Experts warn that a breach of the vessel would have disastrous results for Red Sea marine life and tens of thousands of impoverished people who depend on fishing for their livelihood.
Published on July 12, 2020, at 5:49 PM EAT.
