- The rescued crew were scheduled to disembark in the Egyptian port of Suez on June 29.
- Maritime security sources suggest the vessel was unlikely to have been targeted by Yemen’s Houthis.
- SCF’s CEO criticized the sanctions as undermining safety at sea and posing trade risks.
On Wednesday, the state-owned company Sovcomflot, which is under Western sanctions, reported that a ship operated by the Russian shipping group rescued the crew of a tanker that was taking on water off Yemen’s coast this week.
On June 23, the Sovcomflot tanker NS Africa was sailing southeast of the port of Nishtun in southern Yemen when it responded to a distress call from the Lavant tanker. The crew of the Lavant tanker had abandoned the ship and were in a life raft in the open sea.
“At 1410 local time, the crew of the tanker NS Africa … carried out an operation to rescue 19 sailors, among whom were citizens of India, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Indonesia,” SCF said in a statement.
SCF stated that the rescued seafarers were scheduled to disembark in the Egyptian port of Suez on June 29, with none of the crew reported missing or injured. Operators of the Lavant could not be located for comment.
Maritime security sources indicated that it was unlikely for the vessel to have been targeted by Yemen’s Houthis. Iran-aligned Houthi militants initiated drone and missile strikes on the trade route in November, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. In over 70 attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another, and caused the deaths of at least three seafarers.
It is unknown whether the Verbena cargo ship, attacked by the Houthis earlier in June, remained afloat after its crew abandoned it separately. Other perils faced by ships include dangers posed by aging tankers affected by sanctions.
Earlier this week, the European Union imposed sanctions on Sovcomflot (SCF), following Washington’s designation earlier this year of 14 of its tankers, which did not include the NS Africa.
SCF’s CEO, in comments released on Tuesday, said that sanctions on shipping companies are undermining safety at sea and posing dangers for trade as they impact ship standards.
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