A tanker has been struck by "multiple projectiles" north of Qatar in the Gulf, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The incident occurred 51 nautical miles (94 km) from Madinat al-Shamal, and casualties have been reported.
Incident Details
The vessel involved has been identified as the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged oil and chemical tanker Acers, which was laden with cargo as it sailed towards the Strait of Hormuz waterway. This strait connects the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and has seen repeated attacks on merchant vessels since the onset of the US and Israel's war with Iran in February.
According to the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO), at least 24 seafarers have been killed in 93 confirmed incidents in the region. The last incident that resulted in casualties occurred on September 9, when two sailors were killed in an attack on the Panama-flagged tanker El Gaia in the Strait of Hormuz, just north of Oman's Musandam peninsula.
Recent Developments
This attack marks the first reported incident on a ship this far west of the Strait of Hormuz since the attack on September 9, as noted by Martin Kelly, head of advisory at EOS Risk Group. Additionally, Vanguard, a maritime intelligence firm, reported a fire on board another tanker on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman, approximately 40 km east of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. The vessel involved is likely the Marshall Islands-flagged Dhalkut, although the cause of the fire remains unclear, and the UKMTO has not reported any incidents in that area.
