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Study Warns of Catastrophe if Explosion Takes Place at Yemen's Safer Oil Tanker

A picture of the deteriorating condition of FSO Safer in 2019 (AP)
A picture of the deteriorating condition of FSO Safer in 2019 (AP)
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Study Warns of Catastrophe if Explosion Takes Place at Yemen's Safer Oil Tanker

A picture of the deteriorating condition of FSO Safer in 2019 (AP)
A picture of the deteriorating condition of FSO Safer in 2019 (AP)

A recent study has warned that the coastline of Yemen’s Red Sea and of its neighboring countries is at risk of an environmental disaster that could happen any day if an oil spill from or an explosion takes place at the derelict FSO Safer oil tanker.

“It is increasingly likely that there could be an immense oil leakage from and/or an explosion of the FSO Safer, a floating storage and offloading unit anchored in the Red Sea, 60km north of the port of Hodeidah,” said Riskaware, Catapult Satellite Applications and Acaps in their joint assessment.

Although it is owned by Yemen’s national oil company, FSO Safer fell into the hands of Iran-backed Houthi militias in 2015. Since then, no maintenance work has been carried out on the aging tanker.

Disregarding international warnings against the hazards of poor maintenance at FSO Safer, Houthis continue to block a team of UN experts from repairing the rundown oil vessel.

FSO Safer is currently holding 1.1 million barrels of crude oil that are at a risk of either exploding or spilling into Red Sea waters.

“Up to 5.9 million people in Yemen and 1 million in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) could be exposed to very high air pollution levels, with harmful effects seen 24–48 hours after a fire starting on the Safer,” said study.

In its impact assessment for April-June 2021, the study warned that up to 967,000 internally displaced persons could be covered by a smoke plume if an explosion goes off at Safer.

The fire, according to the study, would likely affect Yemen’s governorates of Hajjah, Hodeidah, Sadah, Dhamar, Sanaa, Al Mahwit, and Raymah.

Saudi Arabia’s southern Jazan city could also be affected, the study added.

“There would be a significant health risk to vulnerable populations (such as adults and children with lung problems and adults with heart problems) and the elderly, with aggravation of pre-existing heart and lung problems likely,” it highlighted.

Pollution from a fire taking place on FSO Safer would create an additional hazard for coronavirus patients with breathing problems.

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Syrian Interior Ministry Arrests ISIS Cell Responsible for Church Attack

People gather at Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Damascus following the suicide bombing on Sunday, June 22, 2025 (EPA) 
People gather at Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Damascus following the suicide bombing on Sunday, June 22, 2025 (EPA) 
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Syrian Interior Ministry Arrests ISIS Cell Responsible for Church Attack

People gather at Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Damascus following the suicide bombing on Sunday, June 22, 2025 (EPA) 
People gather at Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Damascus following the suicide bombing on Sunday, June 22, 2025 (EPA) 

Hours after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed that those involved in a “heinous” suicide attack on a Damascus church a day earlier would face justice, Syria’s Interior Ministry said authorities had arrested several suspects in connection with the attack.

The shooting and suicide bombing Sunday at the Mar Elias church in the Dweila district of the Syrian capital killed 25 people and injured 63 others, according to the Health Ministry.

“In coordination with the General Intelligence Service, the Ministry carried out security operations against ISIS-linked terrorist cells in the Damascus countryside, arresting a cell leader and five members, and killing two others affiliated with the terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus,” the Syrian Interior Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

“During the raid, quantities of weapons and ammunition were seized, in addition to explosive vests and mines. A motorcycle bomb that had been prepared for detonation was also found,” it said.

On Monday, the Syrian President expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the church bombing.

He said “this heinous crime that targeted innocent people in their worship places reminds us of the importance of solidarity and unity –government and people- in confronting threats to our security and the stability of our country.”

Sharaa added, “Today, we all stand united, rejecting injustice and crime in all its forms. We pledge to the victims that we will work day and night, mobilizing all our specialized security services, to apprehend all those who participated in and planned this heinous crime and bring them to justice to face their just punishment.”

The attack is the first such bombing in Damascus since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime. It raised fear among the people.

Commenting on the attack, a man in his 70s described the attack as “a huge and horrible strike,” stressing the need for “the authorities to tighten security measures on churches, all places of worship, and busy places.”

On Monday, Asharq Al-Awsat spotted heavy deployment of local security agents in the capital’s neighborhoods and major roads, amid heightened security measures.

Adbdulrahman Alhaj, a researcher in Islamic studies, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Interior Ministry statement that linked the attack to an ISIS suicide attack is a suggestion that the ministry’s spokesman Noureddine Al-Baba had mentioned in his Sunday press briefing.

Alhaj said he supports the ministry’s conclusions as ISIS had recently issued several threats signaling plans to confront the new regime in Damascus particularly, al-Sharaa.