An explosion damaged a tanker close to its waterline while the vessel was sailing in the Gulf of Oman, roughly 60 nautical miles east of Muscat, UK Maritime Trade Operations said on Tuesday.
“The crew and vessel are safe, although the master reports some bunker fuel has discharged into the sea,” UKMTO said. The agency described the blast as an “external explosion” but did not specify its cause.
The incident comes as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz remain elevated. Iran has been laying mines in nearby waters as part of a campaign to restrict passage through the strait, which under normal conditions carries around one-fifth of global oil production. Hours before the tanker was struck, US forces launched overnight strikes on missile launch sites in Iran and on boats they said were attempting to lay mines in Gulf waters.
No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion.
