MOSCOW: A vessel operated by Russian shipping giant Sovcomflot successfully rescued the crew of a distressed tanker off Yemen’s coast earlier this week, the state-owned company, which is under Western sanctions, said on Wednesday.
Sovcomflot stated that its tanker NS Africa was southeast of Yemen’s port of Nishtun on June 23 when it responded to a distress call from the Lavant tanker. The Lavant’s crew had abandoned ship and were adrift in a life raft in the open sea due to the vessel taking on water.
“At 1410 local time, the crew of the tanker NS Africa carried out an operation to rescue 19 sailors, including citizens of India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia,” Sovcomflot stated in a released statement.
The rescued seafarers, reportedly unharmed and accounted for, are scheduled to disembark at the Egyptian port of Suez on June 29.
According to maritime security sources, it is unlikely that the Lavant tanker was targeted by Yemen’s Houthis, who have been involved in previous attacks on vessels in the region. Houthi fighters have conducted drone and missile strikes on trade routes since November, purportedly in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. These attacks have resulted in the sinking of two vessels, seizure of another, and casualties among seafarers.
Recent incidents, such as the attack on the Verbena cargo ship by Houthis earlier in June, underscore the perilous conditions faced by ships navigating the region. The fate of the Verbena, which was abandoned following the attack, remains uncertain.
Sovcomflot’s rescue operation comes amidst its ongoing challenges due to Western sanctions. Earlier this week, the European Union imposed sanctions on Sovcomflot, following Washington’s designation earlier this year of 14 of its tankers. Notably, the NS Africa was not included in the sanctions list.
