UN Begins Operation to Remove Decaying Supertanker Threatening Yemen's Coast

UN Begins Operation to Remove Decaying Supertanker Threatening Yemen's Coast

The United Nations has launched an operation to remove 1.1 million barrels of oil from the decaying FSO Safer, a supertanker moored off Yemen's Red Sea coast. A salvage vessel with a team of experts has arrived to make the Safer secure for the transfer of oil to another tanker, Nautica, scheduled to sail from Djibouti next month.

The deteriorating condition of the Safer poses a significant risk of explosion or breakage, which could lead to an environmental catastrophe. Despite raising $114 million for the project, the UN urgently requires an additional $29 million to complete the operation and safely tow the Safer to a recycling yard.

How important is it for the international community to provide the additional funding needed to secure the decaying supertanker and prevent a potential environmental disaster in Yemen?