Yemen: Can the World Stop a Massive Oil Spill in the Middle of a War Zone?

Sep 13, 2024 | Joshua Keating, Vox
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Since it was attacked by Houthi rebels in Yemen three weeks ago, a tanker carrying roughly 1 million barrels of crude oil has been immobilized and on fire in the Red Sea. The MV Sounion is still intact, but may not be for long, and should it sink it could lead to one of the largest oil spills in history, nearly four times bigger than the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989. This would have massive environmental and economic impacts on a region already beleaguered by war, and imperil the livelihoods and safe drinking water of millions of people. Efforts will likely soon be underway to salvage the vessel, but it’s a high-risk operation in an active conflict zone, and success is far from guaranteed.