Efforts to avoid environmental disaster in Red Sea region highlighted

Manama, Sept. 23 (BNA): The Supreme Council for Environment (SCE)’s CEO Dr. Mohammed Mubarak Bin Dainah , affirmed Bahrain's support for Saudi and Yemeni efforts to avoid an environmental disaster in the Red Sea region. This came during the extraordinary meeting of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs, which was held virtually regarding the "FSO Safer" vessel anchored off the coast of Hodeidah governorate in western Yemen. Dr. Bin Dainah supported the decision of the member states and the presidency to refer the issue to the Arab foreign ministers to take the appropriate decision to prevent the risks the vessel may cause on the environmental, social and humanitarian levels if any accident happened. The recent reports said that the oil tank of Safer vessel contains a large amount of crude oil, estimated at 1.14 million barrels, and the ship has become a great threat to life on the Yemeni coasts, neighboring countries, and maritime traffic in the region. Possible scenarios indicate that in the event of an explosion or oil spillage from the Safir ship, the situation will be four times worse than the Exxon Valdez oil spill that occurred in Alaska in 1989 and the region has not recovered to this moment despite the passage of nearly 30 years, and this matter threatens environmental and natural life in the region and threatening fish stocks. The meeting discussed that this spill will result in major pollution of rain, groundwater, and agricultural products, and it will cause frightening environmental, health and economic disasters.