Oman tows oil tanker El Jaya after attack sparks fire, crew missing
Oman has towed the Panama-flagged oil tanker El Jaya to port after an attack near the Strait of Hormuz caused a fire and left two crew members missing.
Key Takeaways
AIIncidents targeting ships near the Strait of Hormuz have continued, as Oman announced it had towed the Panama-flagged oil tanker El Jaya to one of its ports after the vessel was attacked, sparking a fire in the engine room and leaving two crew members missing.
Oman's Maritime Security Center said in a statement on Tuesday that the tanker was attacked about 103 nautical miles northeast of Musandam governorate. An Omani navy vessel evacuated 23 crew members, while two remain unaccounted for.
The incident coincided with another report in the Strait of Hormuz, where the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a report of a ship being struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the waterway.
The agency said a "reliable source" reported the vessel was hit by a projectile of unknown type and origin. The report was received late, and no details were provided regarding the timing or exact location of the incident, nor the ship's name, flag, or cargo.
These developments follow a series of incidents in the Strait of Hormuz in recent months. On September 13, UKMTO reported a vessel was hit by a projectile while crossing the strait, with the crew's condition, damage assessment, and environmental impact then unknown.
On September 10, the same agency reported two ships were struck by four unidentified projectiles about four nautical miles west of Khasab, Oman, causing a fire on one vessel. Just days earlier, another ship was reported hit by an unidentified projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital route for oil and commercial shipping, but traffic has dropped significantly since the outbreak of conflict between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other on February 28, amid Iranian threats to shipping.
Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to bring both sides back to the negotiating table after the collapse of a preliminary agreement reached last June, with disputes including, among other issues, the management of the Strait of Hormuz.