Video: Tanker Reverses Course After Being Damaged in Houthi Attack

The Greek-owned crude oil tanker Chios Lion (107,525 dwt) reversed course in the Red Sea to leave the danger zone with reports the vessel was possibly leaking oil after a Houthi attack. Today, the Houthis also released a video of the attack saying the tanker which was southbound from the Suez Canal was targeted because its operators were calling in Israeli ports.

U.S. Central Command confirmed the attack by a drone boat but said the Chios Loin was not requesting assistance. The master told the authorities that the ship was “lightly damaged,” and that the crew was safe after the attack at midday on Monday, July 15.

The vessel, however, is now reported to have reversed course away from Yemen. Its AIS signal remains off with the last transmission showing a message of “Sec team on board.” The attack took place approximately 97 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah, Yemen.

Footage of the Yemeni Armed Forces targeting the "CHIOS Lion" oil tanker with a USV yesterday. pic.twitter.com/3eCmhbO82o

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“While originally headed south, following the attack the vessel turned around and back north out of the threat area to further assess damage and investigate a potential oil spillage,” the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) said on Tuesday.

Registered in Liberia, the vessel is managed from Greece. UK-based digital solutions provider Vanguard reports that the same management company had been previously targeted by the Houthis at the end of June. The vessel Transworld Navigator was targeted four times between June 21 and 23 Vanguard said in its analysis of the situation. The 177,900 dwt bulker however arrived in Turkey on July 12 reporting it had not been damaged.

The attack on the Chios Lion was one of three incidents reported by UKMTO on Monday which included a bomb boat that failed to explode and three missile attacks all on a single Israeli-owned tanker. The Bentley I is carrying vegetable oil from Russia to China and was not damaged despite the repeated attacks. The Houthi spokesperson also claimed an attack on a tanker in the Mediterranean but both the vessel’s owner and the Cypriot authorities denied any such attack to Reuters.

CENTCOM also reported destroying a total of five aerial drones in the past 24 hours. Three were over the Red Sea and two others were over Yemen.