The vessel caught fire and drifted after being struck by an unidentified projectile, while all crew members were evacuated.
WEB DESK: A cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile on Wednesday, causing a fire and leaving the ship adrift, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The vessel’s entire crew was evacuated, with two casualties reported by the company security officer, UKMTO said in an advisory. The agency did not initially specify whether the casualties were deaths or injuries.
Vessel catches fire after projectile strike
UKMTO said it received a report that the cargo vessel had been hit by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The impact caused a fire, and the vessel lost control and began drifting. All crew members were evacuated from the ship, while two casualties were reported.
Authorities were investigating the incident, and there was no immediate report of environmental damage or fuel leakage from the vessel.
The nationality, ownership and destination of the vessel were not immediately disclosed.
Responsibility remains unclear
No group had claimed responsibility for the incident at the time of the initial reports.
UKMTO advised commercial vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz to exercise caution and report suspicious activity to the maritime authorities.
The circumstances surrounding the projectile strike, including its source and intended target, remain under investigation.
One crew member later reported killed
A later maritime industry report said an Indian seafarer was killed and another crew member injured after a bulk carrier was struck in the Strait of Hormuz. This later account provides more detail than the initial UKMTO warning, which only described two casualties.
The distinction is important because the initial maritime advisory did not specify the nature of the two casualties.
Strait of Hormuz remains a major shipping route
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, making it one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes.
Recent attacks and security incidents have disrupted commercial shipping in the waterway. Reuters reported that only two commodity vessels crossed the strait on Monday, compared with a pre-conflict average of around 125 large commercial vessels a day.
The latest incident comes amid broader tensions involving Iran, the United States and regional actors, increasing security concerns for commercial vessels operating through the waterway.
