本周，一项高风险的打捞工作将在红海恢复，以打捞希腊注册的Sounion油轮，该油轮在也门胡塞叛军的多次袭击中遭到严重破坏。

涉及将仍载有约100万桶原油的船只拖到安全区域，由于安全考虑，该行动暂停。

8月21日，这艘900英尺（274.2米）长的油轮遭到袭击，被射弹损坏，然后起火。在第二次袭击摧毁了引擎后，这艘船漂流了。胡塞武装随后返回该船并放置了爆炸装置，造成严重火灾。

公司最初开始使用几艘拖船进行打捞工作，但由于操作中涉及的风险而暂停。

据熟悉打捞行动的消息人士透露，情况很微妙。这艘油轮仍然满载着原油，有发生灾难性泄漏的严重风险。

欧盟在红海的海军任务EUNAVFOR ASPIDES在其社交媒体账号上发布消息称，该船已锚定，没有漂移，主货舱没有漏油的迹象。特派团已承诺保护打捞队。

拖曳作业预计将在未来两天内开始，至少有两艘来自希腊打捞公司的拖船已经到场协助。

然而，人们仍然担心出现更多困难的可能性，包括胡塞武装遗留在船上的爆炸性武器。

官员们警告说，行动中的任何事故都可能导致历史上最大的石油泄漏之一，并造成严重的环境后果。

西方国家政府表示，这次泄漏可能比埃克森·瓦尔迪兹号油轮灾难大四倍，严重损害红海地区敏感的海洋生态系统和渔民。

Sounion号的船员已经撤离，希腊向沙特阿拉伯寻求救助行动的帮助。

尽管胡塞叛军保证他们会允许油轮被拖到安全的地方，但消息人士称，救援人员仍面临威胁。

欧盟海军使团阿斯皮德斯证实，一艘法国护卫舰和一艘希腊护卫舰已经进入该地区，以保护参与行动的船只。

在最初的恢复工作暂停后，研究了进一步的选择；然而，在改进的保护措施下，打捞任务已计划重新开始。

▲Image Credits: EUNAVFOR ASPIDES/X

英文原文

A high-risk salvage effort to retrieve the Greek-registered Sounion tanker, which has been extensively damaged in multiple attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, is set to resume in the Red Sea this week.



The operation, which was suspended due to safety concerns, will involve towing the vessel, which is still carrying approximately one million barrels of crude oil, to a safe area.



On August 21, the 900-foot (274.2-meter) tanker was attacked, damaged by projectiles, and then caught fire.  After a second attack destroyed its engine, the ship was left adrift.  Houthi forces later returned to the vessel and placed explosive devices, causing severe fires.



Companies initially began Salvage efforts using several tugboats but were suspended due to the risks involved in the operation.



According to sources familiar with the salvage operation, the situation is delicate.  The tanker still carries a full load of crude oil, posing a severe risk of a catastrophic spill.



EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, the EU’s naval mission in the Red Sea, posted on its social media handle that the vessel is anchored and not drifting, and there is no sign of an oil spill in the main cargo hold.  The mission has committed to protect the salvage teams.



The towing operation is expected to start within the next two days, and at least two tugboats from a Greek salvage company are already present to assist with it.



However, concerns remain about the chances of further difficulties, including the explosive weapons left aboard by the Houthis.



Officials have warned that any mishap during the operation might lead to one of the largest oil spills in history, with major environmental consequences.



Western governments have stated that a spill could be up to four times larger than the Exxon Valdez disaster, seriously harming the Red Sea region’s sensitive marine ecosystem and fishermen.



The crew of the Sounion has been evacuated, and Greece asked Saudi Arabia for help with the salvage operation.



Despite the Houthi rebels’ assurances that they would allow the tanker to be towed to safety, sources reported continued threats to salvage personnel.



The EU naval mission, Aspides, confirmed that a French and a Greek frigate were already in the area to protect the vessels involved in the operation.



After initial recovery efforts were suspended, further options were examined;  however, the salvage mission has been scheduled to restart under improved protection measures.

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