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July 16, 2020

U.N. Warns of Looming Disaster from Abandoned Oil Tanker Near Yemen's Coast
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The United Nations is warning of a looming environmental disaster in the
Red Sea, where a stricken oil tanker has been abandoned off Yemen's
coast since the start of civil war five years ago. The vessel is loaded
with more than a million barrels of crude oil - four times as much oil
as spilled from the Exxon Valdez in 1989. U.N. Humanitarian Affairs and
Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock said Wednesday a spill would
directly affect 1.6 million Yemenis.

Mark Lowcock: "Essentially every fishing community along Yemen's west
coast would see their livelihoods collapse and would suffer substantial
economic losses. About 90% of people in these communities already need
humanitarian assistance."



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