UN Launches Operation to Prevent Catastrophic Oil Spill in Yemen

An international team has begun siphoning oil out of the deteriorating oil tanker, SOF Safer, off the coast of Yemen in an effort to prevent a potential environmental catastrophe. The tanker, which has not been maintained for eight years, carries over 1.1 million barrels of oil and is at risk of breaking up or exploding. The oil transfer is expected to be completed in less than three weeks and is a crucial step in the complex salvage operation. The U.N. has warned that an oil spill or explosion could disrupt global shipping routes and cause significant damage to the global economy. Additional funds are still needed to complete the salvage operation and remove any remaining environmental threat.