In a statement, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the operation had prevented “monumental environmental and humanitarian catastrophe.”
International organizations and rights groups warned for years of the potential for a spill or an explosion involved the tanker, which has not been maintained and has seawater in its engine compartment and damaged pipes.
It is moored 6 km (3.7 miles) from Yemen’s western Red Sea ports of Hodeida and Ras Issa, a strategic area controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels who are at war with the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
“As much of the 1.14 million barrels has been extracted as possible,” the UN statement said. “However, less than 2% of the original oil cargo remains mixed in with sediment that will be removed during the final cleaning of the Safer.”
David Gressly, the UN humanitarian coordinator, said Friday that during the cleaning phase a sea water wash will be applied in a bid “to extract as much liquid oil as possible.” It remains unclear how long this next phase will take.
“The UN urgently needs the international community and private sector’s financial support to fill the remaining $22 million funding gap needed to finish the job and address all remaining environmental threats,” U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said.
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