A supertanker carrying over 2 million barrels of crude oil has hit a sea mine south of the Strait of Hormuz, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said. According to Iranian sources, a fire broke out on board after the explosion.
The Corps claims the ship violated navigation rules in the strait, turned off its radar, navigation and positioning systems and tried to leave the area via an unauthorized southern route. “The vessel ignored warnings and chose a prohibited route”, the statement quoted by the Anadolu Agency said.
Iran did not provide the name of the tanker, its flag or its owner. There was also no information on the number of crew members, possible casualties or damage to the vessel. The claim that the incident was caused by a naval mine has not been independently confirmed.
Iran reports three tankers affected
In a separate statement carried by Iranian state television, the Guards Corps said a total of three tankers had been hit by mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Two of the ships caught fire and were stopped, while the third was a supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil, the Straits Times reported.
“Two offending oil tankers were engulfed in flames and stopped after mine explosions“, the Corps said in a statement. The Iranian military is warning ships in the area not to turn off their tracking and identification systems.
Tensions around the Strait are escalating
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important sea routes for global energy trade. According to the Straits Times, about a fifth of the world's oil supplies pass through it in peacetime. In recent days, Iran has repeatedly reported incidents involving ships using routes that Tehran considers illegal.
There has been no public confirmation from an independent maritime authority about the identity of the supertanker, the cause of the explosion or the condition of the crew. It has not been announced when shipping in the affected area will resume.
Sources: aa.com.tr, straitstimes.com, rferl.org