Abandoned Vessel Leaks Oil & Drifts Dangerously Off Yemen After Engine Room Flooding

A Panama-flagged cargo ship, ISA Star, is drifting dangerously near the Bab al-Mandab Strait off Yemen after its crew abandoned it due to severe flooding in the engine room.

The ship, which is now listing astern and leaking oil, poses a significant hazard to navigation in the region.

On December 5, a distress call was sent out by the captain of ISA Star, reporting increasing flooding in the engine room.

The 20 crew members including 15 Indians, two Sri Lankans, and one each from Nepal, Indonesia, and Vietnam, were safely evacuated and transported to Djibouti by naval forces.

The rescue was coordinated by Operation Aspides, the European Union’s naval mission. The French frigate FS Languedoc, which was patrolling the region, responded immediately and carried out the evacuation.

The crew was transferred to the Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority’s tugboat Barkhat Gourad Hqamadou and arrived in Djibouti on December 6.

Reports reveal that the crew left behind all their belongings, including passports, and identification documents, in their rush to abandon the sinking vessel.

The ship managed by UAE-based Azimuth Ship Management and owned by a Hong Kong company, was travelling in ballast (without cargo) after loading machinery in Italy.

The ISA Star departed from Italy on November 19, made a stop in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on December 3, and was en route to Indonesia when the incident occurred about 100 nautical miles northwest of Hudaydah, Yemen.

While the exact cause of the flooding remains unknown, some reports suggest an external explosion, while others point to mechanical issues in the engine room.

Authorities in Djibouti mentioned the possibility of an attack, but no Western officials have confirmed this.

The Iran-backed Houthi forces, known for recent attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea in solidarity with Gaza amid the Hamas-Israel conflict, have not claimed responsibility for the incident.

Images released by the EU’s Operations Aspides and French naval forces show the ISA Star listing heavily astern and trailing a visible oil slick in the sea.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a warning on December 6, describing the drifting ship as “not under command” and a hazard to other vessels in the busy shipping corridor.

Built in 2000, the ISA Star has changed names and ownership multiple times over the years. While it has faced safety deficiencies during past port inspections, it has not been detained since 2022 under its previous management.

The ship’s current manager, UAE-based Azimuth Ship Management, has not released a statement regarding the incident. The ship was reportedly not carrying any dangerous cargo at the time of the emergency.

Operation Aspides, led by the Hellenic Navy and involving naval forces from France, Greece, and Italy has been actively patrolling the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to ensure the safety of merchant vessels in the high-risk region.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the flooding and the oil leak. Efforts are underway to monitor the vessel’s position and assess potential environmental risks from the oil spill.

Reference: Times of Israel

Source: Maritime Shipping News