Iran Attacks 3 Tankers Near Oman And Strait Of Hormuz After U.S. Disables Bulker

Three tankers came under attack near Oman and the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, while US forces struck a cargo ship accused of trying to violate the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Two Indian seafarers are missing after a drone hit a tanker near Sohar, Oman.

The attacks involved a drone strike near Oman, two tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and a separate fire aboard an oil tanker in the Arabian Gulf.

The cause of a fire aboard a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz remains unclear, although Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the vessel had hit one of its naval mines.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said an unidentified vessel was hit by an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) near the Sohar anchorage off Oman on October 11. Local authorities were helping evacuate the crew.

The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) said the vessel was a Nicaragua-flagged tanker carrying 14 crew members. Two Indian seafarers were missing after the attack. The union shared a video that appeared to show the tanker on fire, with thick smoke coming from the front of the vessel.

The attack came two days after the IRGC warned that ships not authorised to pass through the Strait of Hormuz would face what it called “definitive” punishment.

Two other tankers were reported to have been attacked while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.

On October 11, UKMTO received a report from a company security officer that an outbound tanker had been hit on its port side by an unidentified projectile. The strike damaged the vessel.

Maritime security firm Vanguard Tech identified the tanker as Angola Prosperity, a very large crude carrier (VLCC) operated by Sinokor. All crew members were reported safe.

In another attack on October 10, the Marshall Islands-flagged Suezmax tanker Valthera was hit by an unknown projectile on its port side while leaving the strait, Vanguard Tech said.

The strike started a fire on board, and the master requested help to put it out. All crew members were reported safe.

Iran’s IRGC Navy also claimed that a supertanker carrying crude oil caught fire after hitting an Iranian naval mine while trying to leave the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC Navy said the vessel had entered a designated high-risk area before an explosion. The statement was carried by Iran’s Fars news agency. The claim could not be independently verified.

The tanker attacks came as US forces struck the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Molica, also known as the Arika Sun.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the ship’s crew had ignored repeated warnings and tried to break the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

A US fighter jet struck the stern of the vessel with a precision munition, disabling its propulsion system without injuring the crew, CENTCOM said.

The US military said the ship had previously called at an Iranian port and was trying to leave the region for international waters.
Video released by CENTCOM showed an explosion on the vessel, followed by a plume of smoke.

The US blockade restricts ships entering or leaving Iranian ports. Since it was reinstated on July 14, US forces have disabled four commercial vessels and turned back 135 ships, CENTCOM said.

There is no confirmed link between the US strike and the attacks on the tankers. Iran’s warnings have also affected ships anchored outside the Strait of Hormuz.

On October 10, UKMTO said several shipmasters near Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates had reported receiving radio messages telling them to leave their anchorages.

The messages were sent over very high frequency (VHF) radio, but UKMTO did not identify who issued them.

Separately, the UAE National Guard Command said coastguard personnel rescued 22 people from an oil tanker in the Arabian Gulf after a fire broke out on board.

The coastguard responded to a report from the crew, found the vessel and rescued those on board. All 22 people, described as Asian citizens, received first aid and were handed over to the relevant authorities. Their condition was reported to be stable.

UKMTO also reported an incident involving a tanker and military forces in the Gulf of Oman in an advisory issued on October 11. It did not provide further details, and the time of the incident was not confirmed.

References: timesofindia, seatrade maritime