MUSCAT (OMAN) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Panama-flagged oil tanker “El Gaia” has been towed to an Omani port following a fire in its engine room caused by an attack. The Sultanate of Oman’s Maritime Security Centre announced the news. According to a statement released today, the vessel was approximately 103 nautical miles northeast of the Musandam governorate when it was struck. An Omani navy vessel evacuated 23 crew members; two remain missing.
The British agency UKMTO had previously reported a new incident in the Strait of Hormuz: a ship struck by a projectile of unspecified nature and origin. The report, based on a source described as “reliable,” arrived late and specified neither the exact time of the attack nor the vessel’s precise location within the channel. The Strait of Hormuz—a crucial hub for global oil traffic—has been the scene of repeated incidents for months amidst tensions between Iran and the United States.
Just a few days ago, the UKMTO reported another attack involving an unidentified projectile against a passing ship; a similar incident was recorded on September 13.
-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).
