The United Nations announced on Friday that it has completed the full removal of over one million barrels of oil from a decaying supertanker off the coast of the Red Sea, preventing a potential environmental disaster. The U.S. Secretary of State described the operation as a clear example of international cooperation in preventing environmental crises. Achim Steiner, the UN Development Programme Administrator who coordinated the complex operation, stated, "This is a significant moment to prevent a potential disaster." The operational team worked for 18 days in an area filled with sea mines and under high summer temperatures and rough waves to remove oil from the vessel. Steiner mentioned that the UN has raised over $120 million for this operation, which required the purchase of a second tanker for the discharged crude oil, as well as an aircraft on standby to disperse chemicals in case of an oil spill. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the news in a statement, saying, "A strong international coalition led by the United States came together to tackle this problem." Blinken also emphasized that while the operation was successfully completed, much work remains to be done. He stated, "While an immediate crisis has been averted, the complete operation, including the safe removal of Safer, is not yet finished." The U.S. Secretary added that the UN requires immediate financial support from the international community and the private sector to secure the $22 million needed to complete the work and address all remaining environmental threats. Blinken described the operation as an example of international coordination and cooperation to prevent an environmental, economic, and humanitarian crisis before it occurs. The UN has warned for years about the risk of explosion or disintegration of the 47-year-old Safer tanker and the potential for an environmental disaster along the Red Sea coastline. The war in Yemen has halted maintenance operations for the Safer tanker since 2015. The vessel has been used for storage and has been moored off the coast of Yemen for over 30 years. The Safer tanker is located 60 kilometers from the port of Hudaydah in Yemen, which has been under the control of Houthi militia supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran since 2015.
The United Nations Completes Oil Removal Operation from Decaying Tanker 'Safer' in Yemen
The UN has successfully completed the removal of over one million barrels of oil from the decaying tanker 'Safer' in Yemen, preventing a potential environmental disaster. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted the operation as a model of international cooperation, while emphasizing that further work is needed to ensure safety and address remaining threats. This operation is significant as it reflects global efforts to mitigate environmental risks in conflict zones.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The United Nations has successfully removed over one million barrels of oil from the decaying supertanker 'Safer' off the coast of Yemen, averting a potential environmental disaster. The operation was completed after 18 days of work in a challenging environment.
- The Safer tanker has been moored off the coast of Yemen for over 30 years and has not received maintenance since the war began in 2015.
- The UN has raised over $120 million for this operation, which included the purchase of a second tanker for the discharged oil.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Safer tanker has been a potential environmental hazard due to its deteriorating condition and the ongoing conflict in Yemen, which has hindered maintenance efforts.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%