Two sailors missing after tanker attacked in Strait of Hormuz, Oman says
Summary
Two sailors are missing and 23 have been rescued after an oil tanker, El Gaia, was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz near Oman. Conflicting reports claim the tanker was hit by naval mines or weapons, and this incident is part of ongoing tensions in the area involving Iran, the US, and regional countries.Key Facts
- The oil tanker El Gaia, flagged in Panama, caught fire in its engine room after the attack.
- The tanker was located about 2.4 kilometers north of Oman's Musandam peninsula.
- Oman’s Maritime Security Centre is towing the damaged tanker to an Omani port.
- Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the tanker hit naval mines and was in a restricted area.
- The US military denies the mine explanation, saying Iranian missiles and drones attacked the tanker.
- The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre reported a fire caused by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Earlier incidents include a Saudi-owned oil supertanker hit in the same area, with two Filipino sailors killed.
- The Strait of Hormuz is a vital shipping route for about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments.
- The waterway is effectively closed due to attacks by Iran and a US naval blockade.
- A preliminary peace deal to reopen the strait in June failed, and attacks and blockades resumed soon after.
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