Two tankers have been stopped in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran said they attempted to pass through unauthorized routes. The Revolutionary Guard Navy said one vessel was in the eastern part of the strait and the other was in the western part.
Iran claims the two tankers turned off their navigation and positioning systems and ignored several radio warnings. The vessels then entered areas designated by Tehran as dangerous and were stopped near the southern shore of the strait.
“The vessels were operating with the support of the US armed forces“, the Revolutionary Guards Navy said.According to the statement, fires broke out on board the two tankers. The names of the vessels, the countries under whose flags they sail, or details of their crews have not been reported at this time. It has not been announced whether there were any deaths or injuries, as well as the extent of the damage.
The Associated Press confirmed that Iran reported stopping two oil tankers that tried to use unauthorized routes through the strait. The agency said Tehran insisted the ships communicate with Iranian authorities and take a route in the northern part of the waterway, close to the Iranian coast. There was no independent confirmation of Iran's claims of the fires and support from the US armed forces.
Separately, the Royal Navy of Oman evacuated 25 crew members from a Panamanian-flagged merchant ship that caught fire after an attack 1.6 nautical miles off the coast of Musandam. The operation was carried out in coordination with the Maritime Security Center, which said the evacuees were provided with medical care.
The two incidents come amid a dispute between Iran and the United States over shipping routes and rules through the Strait of Hormuz - a key waterway for transporting oil and other energy resources. There is currently no word on the names of the tankers involved, the condition of the crews, or any follow-up action on the case.
Sources: news.bg, apnews.com, tasnimnews.ir