Tanker Hit by Unknown Projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO Reports — Fire Extinguished, Crew Safe

A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, the British agency United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced on Friday morning. According to the statement, the strike caused a fire on board, which was later fully extinguished.

“All crew members are reported safe, while the environmental impact has not yet been confirmed,” the UKMTO statement said, advising all vessels in the strait to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity until authorities investigate the incident.

The incident comes at a moment when maritime traffic through Hormuz has fallen to the lowest levels in history — only four merchant vessels transited the strait on Thursday, according to the latest updates — while the U.S. blockade of Iran and Iranian control of the strait continue to paralyze one of the world’s key energy arteries.

This is the latest attack in a series of maritime incidents in recent weeks, following the strike on the Togo-flagged tanker by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and earlier UKMTO reports of security incidents near the port of Khasab in Oman.

Source: Al Jazeera — LIVE blog