Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Mar 12: At least one person was killed and 38 crew members rescued after two foreign oil tankers caught fire following an alleged underwater drone attack in the Persian Gulf, according to reports.
Iran claimed responsibility for the attack, with the state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting stating that an underwater drone strike had blown up two oil tankers operating in the region.
The vessels involved were the Maltese-flagged Zefyros oil tanker and the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu oil tanker. Safesea Vishnu is owned by the US-based Safesea Transport Inc., while Zefyros is operated by a Greece-based company.
Earlier media reports suggested that a suicide boat loaded with explosives might have struck the vessels, though authorities said investigations are ongoing to determine the exact nature of the attack.
The incident comes amid rising tensions in the region as the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran continues to disrupt maritime traffic and heighten concerns over global energy supplies.
Meanwhile, maritime authorities reported that at least three commercial vessels were also hit by “unknown projectiles” in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest oil shipping routes. One vessel was struck off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, another north of Oman had to be evacuated after a fire broke out, while a third vessel sustained damage north-west of Dubai, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations.
Iran had earlier warned that it would target ships attempting to pass through the strait, through which nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply is transported.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has said American forces destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels in the waterway. The conflict, now in its 12th day, has significantly reduced maritime traffic in the region and pushed global oil prices higher.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, connects the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea and is considered one of the most strategically important shipping routes in the world. Around 13 million barrels of oil pass through the strait daily, making it critical to global energy supplies.
Any disruption in the strait could affect oil exports from major producers including Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, while also impacting major crude importers such as India, China and Japan.