Yemen, US Develop Plans to Deal with Possible Safer Leak

Yemeni Minister of Water and Environment Tawfik al-Sharjabi (Saba)
Yemeni Minister of Water and Environment Tawfik al-Sharjabi (Saba)
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Yemen, US Develop Plans to Deal with Possible Safer Leak

Yemeni Minister of Water and Environment Tawfik al-Sharjabi (Saba)
Yemeni Minister of Water and Environment Tawfik al-Sharjabi (Saba)

Yemen and the United States have developed plans and precautionary measures to deal with the risks of any leakage, sinking, or explosion of the Safer oil tanker.

Safer holds around 1.1 million oil barrels on board and is anchored off the coast of Hodeidah.

The Iranian-backed Houthi militias, which control the tanker's anchorage area, have for years refused to carry out any maintenance work.

They prevented UN experts from boarding the tanker and assessing it to take the necessary measures and avoid a major environmental disaster.

Minister of Water and Environment Tawfik al-Sharjabi announced that the Yemeni government considers the tanker a grave threat, indicating that it is working with all partners in the international community to address the dangerous environmental issue.

Sharjabi warned that the risks increase in light of the tanker's highly complex climatic, environmental, and technical conditions.

He said that Houthis refuse to respond to international warnings and Security Council resolutions requiring a team of experts to inspect the tanker for evaluation, according to Saba news agency.

The Yemeni minister discussed with US Chargé d'Affaires Cathy Westley the tanker's alarming conditions.

The meeting touched on international efforts aiming to handle the decaying tanker problem and national, regional, and international measures to deal with risks in the event of a leak, sinking, or explosion of the floating oil tanker.

Sharjabi praised the US efforts to solve this issue and its continuous support for the legitimate government.

He noted that preventing the tanker's explosion or sinking is a local, regional, and international concern, warning that Houthis continue to manipulate the issue without severe consequences and repercussions.

Westley reviewed the latest developments and the ongoing US diplomatic efforts to avoid an environmental disaster.

She stressed that her country is developing plans to deal with the worst-case scenarios that will affect a crucial international waterway.

The US official reiterated Washington's willingness to assist Yemen in facing the repercussions of the disaster and provide advice and expertise on handling oil spills and reducing their devastating effects on ecosystems.



Australia Starts Evacuating Nationals from Lebanon via Cyprus

 Australian nationals evacuated from Lebanon, due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli forces, arrive at Larnaca International Airport, in Larnaca, Cyprus, October 5, 2024. (Reuters)
Australian nationals evacuated from Lebanon, due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli forces, arrive at Larnaca International Airport, in Larnaca, Cyprus, October 5, 2024. (Reuters)
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Australia Starts Evacuating Nationals from Lebanon via Cyprus

 Australian nationals evacuated from Lebanon, due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli forces, arrive at Larnaca International Airport, in Larnaca, Cyprus, October 5, 2024. (Reuters)
Australian nationals evacuated from Lebanon, due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli forces, arrive at Larnaca International Airport, in Larnaca, Cyprus, October 5, 2024. (Reuters)

Australia started evacuating its nationals from Lebanon via Cyprus on Saturday, in the first large-scale operation to get citizens out of the country amid an Israeli onslaught on Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Some 229 people arrived on the east Mediterranean island, which lies a 40-minute flight time from Beirut, on a commercial airline chartered by Australia. A second flight is scheduled later in the day.

More evacuation flights could be expected based on demand, Australian and Cypriot officials said.

At Cyprus's Larnaca airport, civilians of all ages transferred from the aircraft into a terminal and then escorted onto waiting coaches. Children helped themselves to red apples and water provided by Australian military staff.

"They are exhausted, exceptionally happy to be here but heartbroken because they left family behind," said Fiona McKergow, the Australian High Commissioner (Ambassador) to Cyprus.

More and more countries are using close hubs like Cyprus to assist in evacuations from Lebanon. Israel has sharply escalated attacks on Hezbollah in recent weeks, with a barrage of airstrikes and a ground operation in the south of the country, after nearly a year of lower-level cross-border conflict waged in parallel with Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

In the past week, Cyprus assisted evacuations by China, Greece, Portugal and Slovakia. Britain and the United States have also moved personnel to Cyprus to assist in military evacuations, if necessary.

Cyprus had been used to evacuate close to 60,000 people from Lebanon in the last serious escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.

Some of those evacuated on Saturday said they did not think they would ever return to Lebanon.

"Never, ever. I was traumatized, my kids were traumatized. It's not a safe country, I won't be back," said Dana Hameh, 34.

She added: "I feel very sad leaving my country but I'm very happy to start a new life in Sydney. Life goes on. I wish the best for everyone."