Three Oil Tankers Hit in Gulf Waters

Iranian explosive-laden boats appear to have attacked two fuel tankers in Iraqi waters, setting them ablaze and killing one crew member after projectiles struck three vessels in Gulf waters, according to reports.

The ships targeted in the late-night attacks on Wednesday in the Gulf near Iraq were the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and Zefyros, which had loaded fuel cargo in Iraq, two Iraqi port officials told the Reuters news agency.

“We recovered the body of a foreign crew member from the water,” one port security official said, as Iraqi rescue teams continued searching for other missing seafarers. It was not immediately clear which ship the crew member was linked to.

One Iraqi port security source said Zefyros is flagged in Malta and provided Reuters with a list of crew members’ names.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Baghdad, Mahmoud Abdelwahed, said the tankers were loaded with crude oil at the Umm Qasr port in southern Iraq, in Basra province, and were attacked shortly after beginning their voyage.

“Iraqi officials say this is a flagrant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty, given that this act of sabotage occurred in Iraq’s territorial waters,” Abdelwahed said.

Reuters reported that the attacks may have involved explosive-laden unmanned surface vessels, similar to those used effectively by Ukraine in its war with Russia. The incidents come as Iran has blocked oil shipments through the key Strait of Hormuz, a passage through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally transits. The disruption comes amid the ongoing United States-Israeli war on Iran.

Reuters, citing two unnamed sources, also reported on Wednesday that Iran had deployed about a dozen mines in the strait. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said US forces had struck 28 Iranian mine-laying vessels, warning of severe repercussions if Iran lays mines in the crucial global shipping route.

Strait of Hormuz Sealed

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that any ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted.

The Thai-flagged dry bulk vessel Mayuree Naree was struck by “two projectiles of unknown origin” while sailing through the strait earlier on Wednesday, causing a fire and damaging the engine room, the ship’s operator, Precious Shipping, said in a statement.

“Three crew members are reported missing and are believed to be trapped in the engine room,” the company said.

“The company is working with the relevant authorities to rescue these three missing crew members,” it added, noting that the remaining 20 crew members had been safely evacuated and were ashore in Oman.

Images shared by the Thai news outlet Khaosod English showed crew members after their rescue by Oman’s navy.

The IRGC said in a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency that the ship was “fired upon by Iranian fighters,” suggesting the first direct engagement by the IRGC, which had previously relied on missiles or drones.

The Japan-flagged container ship ONE Majesty also sustained minor damage on Wednesday from an unknown projectile about 25 nautical miles (approximately 46 kilometres) northwest of Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, according to two maritime security firms.

Its Japanese owner, Mitsui OSK Lines, and a spokesperson for Ocean Network Express, the vessel’s charterer, said the ship was struck while at anchor in the Gulf. An inspection of the hull revealed minor damage above the waterline.

All crew members are safe, they said, adding that the vessel remains fully operational and seaworthy. The cause of the incident remains unclear and is under investigation.

A third vessel, a bulk carrier, was also hit by an unknown projectile about 50 nautical miles (approximately 93 kilometres) northwest of Dubai, maritime security firms said.

The projectile damaged the hull of the Marshall Islands-flagged Star Gwyneth, maritime risk management company Vanguard said, adding that the crew were safe. Owner Star Bulk Carriers said the ship was struck in the hold area while anchored. There were no crew injuries and no listing.

The US Navy has refused near-daily requests from the shipping industry for military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war with Iran, saying the risk of attacks is currently too high, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters.