Saudi Arabia says two Filipino seafarers were killed after its Bahri-owned oil tanker Sidr was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — WEB DESK: Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday that an Iranian attack on an oil tanker operated by its national shipping company killed two Filipino seafarers while the vessel was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The tanker, Sidr, is owned by Saudi shipping company Bahri and was one of two supertankers carrying Saudi oil that were reported to have been hit off Oman late on Monday. Reuters reported the Saudi government attributed the attack to Iran.
Two sailors killed aboard Bahri tanker
Bahri said Sidr was involved in a security incident at about 11:40 p.m. local time on Monday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The company confirmed the deaths of two Filipino seafarers but did not independently describe the incident as an Iranian attack in its statement.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said the kingdom stressed the need to halt further escalation and respect international maritime safety and the security of global energy supplies.
The incident adds to growing concerns over the safety of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes.
Rising tensions in Strait of Hormuz
Iran has threatened tankers attempting to pass through the narrow waterway without authorisation, according to Reuters.
Before the current conflict, roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed through the Strait of Hormuz, making any disruption there a major concern for international energy markets.
The waterway lies between Iran and Oman and connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea.
Bahri vessels previously targeted
The latest incident is not the first involving a Bahri vessel in the region.
Reuters reported that another Bahri supertanker, Wedyan, was hit while passing close to Oman’s coast in July. Two other Bahri vessels, Masa and Amzan, were attacked in the Red Sea in July and August after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.
The repeated incidents have heightened concerns among shipping companies over the risks of operating through strategic waterways in and around the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia calls for de-escalation
Saudi authorities called for an end to escalation and emphasized the importance of maritime safety and protecting global energy supplies.
Bahri said it remained in contact with Sidr and was coordinating with relevant authorities and maritime industry stakeholders while monitoring developments.
The deaths of the two Filipino sailors also underline the risks faced by international crews working aboard commercial vessels operating through increasingly contested waters.
The circumstances surrounding the attack remain part of the broader and rapidly developing security situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
