Disagreements between rebels and the UN in Yemen have so far prevented the inspection and repair of an abandoned tanker off that country, with the United Nations warning that the tanker could explode and cause an oil spill.
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45 years old and containing 1.1 million barrels of crude, the FSO Safer has been anchored since 2015 off the port of Hodeida (west), sixty km from the first inhabited areas in the country at war between power and rebels Houthis since 2014.
The port is controlled by the Houthis who finally gave the green light in mid-July to the UN experts to inspect the tanker but they are still awaiting written authorization to be able to go there.
In a statement Friday, the spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres ruled that " the tragic explosion of August 4 in Beirut and the recent alarming oil spill in Mauritius require the vigilance of the whole world ". " The structure, equipment and operating systems of the (tanker) Safer are deteriorating, raising the risk of leakage, explosion or fire, " the UN warned in its statement.
The rebels insist that the UN inspection team assess and repair the ship in a single visit. But the UN wants its team, after an inspection and initial repairs, to be able to return to the ship if necessary. The rebels are also demanding the presence of a third country, Sweden or Germany, to oversee the repair process.