French Destroyer Rescues 29 Mariners from Attacked Oil Tanker in Red Sea

A French destroyer rescued 29 mariners from an oil tanker that came under repeated attack in the Red Sea on Wednesday, officials said Thursday. The tanker, Sounion, was attacked by suspected Yemeni Houthi rebels, who have been targeting ships in the area for months.

The attack, the most serious in the Red Sea in weeks, occurred about 140 kilometers west of the rebel-held Yemeni port city of Hodeida. Men on small boats opened fire with small arms, and four projectiles hit the ship, causing it to catch fire.

The crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, as well as four private security personnel, were rescued and taken to nearby Djibouti. The French destroyer also destroyed a bomb-carrying drone boat in the area.

The Sounion, which was carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, is now abandoned and at anchor in the Red Sea. The European Union's Operation Aspides warned that the vessel represents a navigational and environmental hazard and urged caution in the area.

The attack is the latest in a campaign by Houthis targeting ships over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, which has disrupted a trade route through which $1 trillion in cargo typically passes each year. The rebels have targeted more than 80 vessels with missiles and drones since the war started in October.