UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The United Nations said on Tuesday that it is “very concerned” that the Houthi rebels in Yemen will reconsider their formal approval for UN experts to examine a tanker anchored off the coast of the war-torn country loaded with more than 1 million barrels of crude oil that is at risk of leakage.
The UN warned last year that the oil tanker, the FSO Safer, has not been maintained for more than five years and could cause an environmental, economic and humanitarian catastrophe. Experts fear the tanker could explode or leak, causing huge environmental damage to marine life and affecting navigation in the Red Sea.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Iran-backed Houthis have not responded to several letter requests with security guarantees the UN needs to facilitate the rental of “technically equipped service vessels” needed for the mission. Without a letter, he said, the cost of the mission would increase by “hundreds of thousands of dollars”.
“We are also very concerned about indications that the Houthi authorities are in fact considering a ‘review’ of their formal approval of the mission to be deployed,” said Dujarric. “Houthi officials advised the UN to pause some preparations pending the outcome of this process, which would create further delays for the mission.”
The Houthis accepted the scope of work for the technical mission in November and, at the time, Dujarric said the UN thought the team of experts could reach the oil tanker in early March.
However, in light of the new “challenges, the timeline for deploying the mission remains uncertain and dependent on the ongoing facilitation of all stakeholders involved,” said Dujarric.
The rebels control the western ports of Yemen’s Red Sea, including Ras Issa, located 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from where the Japanese-built FSO Safer tanker has been moored since the 1980s, when it was sold to Yemeni government. The Houthis are at war with the internationally recognized government, which is supported by a coalition led by the Saudis and the United States.
Before the escalation of the conflict in 2015, the vessel was used to store and export oil from the fields of Marib, a province in eastern Yemen.
Internal documents obtained by the Associated Press last June show that sea water entered the engine compartment of the tank, causing damage to the pipes and increasing the risk of shipwreck. The rust covered parts of the tank and the inert gas that prevents the tanks from accumulating flammable gases has leaked. Experts say maintenance is no longer possible because the damage to the ship is irreversible, according to an AP report.
Dujarric said that “the United Nations remains committed to doing everything possible to face the serious humanitarian and environmental threat posed by the Safer tanker”.
“We look forward to receiving a renewed commitment from the de facto Houthi authorities to resolve this urgent matter as quickly as possible,” he said. “Any other result would be extremely disappointing.”