French Joint Forces Command in the Indian Ocean (ALINDIEN) press release – Translation by Naval News
On Tuesday, August 21, 2024, the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Sounion, owned by a Greek shipowner, was attacked twice by boats in the Red Sea, off the coast of Yemen. The vessel sustained significant damage, including a major fire in the engine room, water ingress, and engine and electrical failure, leaving it adrift near the Yemeni coast.
The following morning, Wednesday, August 22, 2024, a French destroyer was dispatched under the European Union’s ASPIDES operation, in coordination with the French forces stationed in the United Arab Emirates, to assist the stricken vessel. Upon arrival, the destroyer detected a new attack on the tanker by a naval drone (USV). The French destroyer successfully thwarted the attack by neutralizing the explosives-laden drone and proceeded to evacuate the 29 crew members. The Sounion is now anchored in international waters.
France maintains a constant presence in the Indian Ocean, particularly in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, to uphold international law, ensure maritime safety, and safeguard freedom of navigation from the Suez Canal to the Strait of Hormuz.
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