An international team began siphoning oil out of a decrepit oil tanker off the coast of Yemen on Tuesday, the United Nations chief said, a crucial step in a complex salvage operation.
In a statement, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called the operation a mission “to defuse what might be the world’s largest ticking time bomb.”
For years, many organizations have warned that the neglected vessel, known as FSO Safer, may cause a major oil spill or even explode.
The FSO Safer is seen off Ras Issa, Yemen in 2019. (Holm Akhdar)
“In the absence of anyone else willing or able to perform this task, the United
