The United Nations warns of an oil tanker off the coast of Yemen that could break or explode at any moment. The tanker is used as a storage and transshipment terminal. The ship holds the equivalent of just over a million barrels.
“The FSO Safer continues to disintegrate and could break or explode at any time,” said Russell Geekie, counselor to the UN coordinator in Yemen.
The 45-year-old tanker has not been serviced since 2015 as Yemen faces one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The government is fighting the Houthi rebels who control the port of Hodeida.
According to Geekie, all installations on board the ship are as good as broken. A small crew on a neighboring ship tries to avoid the worst. The oil must be pumped out to avoid an environmental disaster.
“The unstable currents and strong winds from October to December will only increase the risk of disaster,” it said. The UN therefore reiterates its urgent appeal for donations for a planned rescue operation. 14 million dollars (about the same amount in euros) is still needed, 66 million dollars have already been received.
20 billion dollars
“If we don’t act, the ship will break and disaster will unfold,” Geekie said. “It’s not a question of if, but when.” An oil spill would have disastrous consequences for the environment and the tens of thousands of people who live off fishing in the Red Sea. The cleanup would cost $20 billion.
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