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UN Averts Humanitarian Crisis: Successful Oil Transfer from Decaying Yemeni Tanker


  

In a critical operation, the United Nations has successfully completed the transfer of one million barrels of oil from the FSO Safer, a dilapidated supertanker stranded off the coast of Yemen. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that this achievement prevented what could have been a monumental humanitarian and environmental catastrophe.

The FSO Safer, originally a supertanker built in 1976 and later repurposed as a floating oil container, had fallen into disrepair due to the ongoing civil war that began in 2015. The UN had repeatedly raised concerns about the immediate threat posed by the decaying vessel, which had the potential to explode, break apart, or leak, leading to catastrophic consequences.

The successful oil transfer, initiated by a UN salvage team on July 25 after two years of fundraising efforts, marks a significant milestone in averting disaster. While a substantial portion of the 1.14 million barrels of oil has been extracted, there is still some work to be done. Less than two percent of the original oil remains mixed with sediment, which will be removed during the final cleaning phase of the operation.

READ MORE: UN removes one million barrels of oil from decaying Yemeni tanker, averts major humanitarian catastrophe

UN Secretary-General Guterres expressed his gratitude to the authorities of Yemen and called on donors to continue their support, with approximately $20 million still needed to cover the operation's total cost of $140 million. This collaborative effort involving various countries, corporate donors, philanthropic donors, and concerned citizens underscores the importance of collective action in addressing urgent global challenges.

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