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Ship Seized Off UAE Heads Toward Iran as Cargo Vessel Sinks Near Oman
A vessel anchored 38 nautical miles northeast of Fujairah was seized by unauthorized personnel and is heading toward Iranian waters, the British military reported Thursday. Separately, an Indian-flagged cargo ship sank off Oman after an attack that prompted a fire, with all 14 crew rescued.
May 14, 3:44 AM·3m read5 sources
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A ship anchored off the east coast of the United Arab Emirates was seized by unauthorized personnel and is heading toward Iranian waters, the British military said Thursday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported the vessel was taken while anchored 38 nautical miles northeast of the UAE port of Fujairah, an important oil export terminal.
The U.K. maritime center did not name the ship and said it is investigating. Hours earlier, an Indian-flagged cargo ship sank off the coast of Oman after an attack sparked a fire aboard the vessel. The ship, identified as the Haji Ali, was en route from Somalia to Sharjah when the incident occurred on Wednesday.
All 14 Indian crew members were rescued by Oman’s coast guard and were safe, according to Indian authorities. India’s foreign ministry called the sinking “unacceptable” and condemned continued attacks on commercial shipping and civilian mariners. It did not identify who carried out the attack.
The incidents come as tensions have escalated near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments.
Iranian officials used the moment to restate long-held positions on the waterway. ” He added that it “has always been our property,” according to state TV. Iran’s judiciary spokesperson, Asghar Jahangir, told the state-owned Iran Daily that Iran has the legal and judicial right to seize oil tankers in the strait connected to the U.S. He cited alleged violations of international maritime laws by the United States.
Jahangir did not explicitly refer to Thursday’s seizure. The country seized a number of ships last week, including a tanker identified as the Ocean Koi. Iranian authorities said the vessel was attempting to disrupt oil exports and was taken to Iran’s southern coast after being seized in the Gulf of Oman.
The U.S. had sanctioned the Ocean Koi in February as part of a “shadow fleet” transporting Iranian oil. President Donald Trump met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. The White House said both sides had agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open.
