Two Crew Missing After Suspected US Strike on Oil Tanker Off Oman’s Coast
Incident Details and International Response
Initial Reports of the Attack
By Jonathan Saul and Nidhi Verma
LONDON, June 10 (Reuters) - Two crew members were missing and one injured on Wednesday after a suspected U.S. missile strike on a tanker off the coast of Oman, maritime officials said.
"This was likely the result of U.S. operations to blockade Iranian ports," British maritime security group Ambrey said.
"In the past, crews have been warned to gather on the bow of a vessel before an attack on the stern."
A second maritime security source also said the vessel was likely to have been hit by a U.S. missile.
U.S. Central Command (Centcom) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Crew and Vessel Information
Nationality and Status of Crew
There were 24 Indian sailors out of a crew of 28 aboard, an Indian government source told Reuters. The source said Indian officials were trying to establish if the two missing crew members were from India.
Vessel Details and Response
The ship was a Palau-flagged chemical/oil products tanker which reported an engine room fire 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman's port of Sohar, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said.
The vessel was the Settebello, according to British maritime risk management group Vanguard, which said the Omani Navy responded to the ship's distress call.
Its India-based operator, listed in databases, could not be reached for comment.
The tanker was partially laden and last located off Oman's coast on June 1, according to the MarineTraffic ship-tracking platform.
Context: US Blockade and Regional Tensions
Background of the Blockade
The United States began a blockade of Iran-related shipping on April 13 after Iran severely curtailed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil and gas route.
Centcom on June 8 said U.S. forces had disabled seven non-compliant vessels, redirected 134 others which complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass.
There have been no reports of fatalities stemming from these operations.
Recent Related Incidents
U.S. forces disabled the unladen Marivex oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Monday after it attempted to sail to an Iranian port in violation of the ongoing blockade against Iran, the U.S. military said.
Ships being targeted include Iranian vessels as well as so-called shadow fleet tankers, which are typically older vessels without Western insurance used to transport sanctioned oil and sailing under the flags of various nations to obscure their true ownership, cargo and movements.
International Reactions and Calls for Safety
UN Maritime Organization Statement
Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the UN's shipping agency the International Maritime Organization, on Tuesday urged "all stakeholders to act with the highest level of responsibility".
He reiterated his "call on all parties to refrain from any actions that place innocent civilian seafarers at risk".
Emphasis on Crew Safety
"The protection of their lives must remain the overriding priority at all times," Dominguez said.
(Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Nidhi Verma and Ahmed Elimam; editing by Alex Richardson and Jason Neely)