Thai Cargo Ship Attacked by Iran in Strait of Hormuz, Three Crew Members Trapped
Three crew members are believed to be trapped aboard the Thai-registered cargo ship Mayuree Naree after it was struck by Iranian projectiles whilst transiting the Strait of Hormuz. They have not yet been successfully rescued.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard stated on Wednesday (11 March) that they had attacked the Mayuree Naree, registered in Thailand, and a Liberian-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz because the ships had ignored “warnings”.
The Thai vessel was hit by projectiles on Wednesday morning whilst transiting the Gulf waterway after departing from Khalifa port in the United Arab Emirates.
Both projectiles damaged the engine room of the Mayuree Naree and caused a fire, according to Thai shipping company Precious Shipping in a statement.
“Three crew members are reported missing and believed to be trapped in the engine room,” the company said, as reported by AFP news agency on Thursday (12 March 2026). Authorities are attempting to rescue them.
“Unfortunately, it is still happening,” said the company’s chief executive officer, Khalid Hashim, to AFP on Thursday.
“We have still not been able to get anyone aboard our ship, although the fire has been extinguished,” Hashim said in an email.
“We are trying various ways to get aboard the ship,” he added.
Oman’s navy had previously rescued 20 sailors from the vessel on Wednesday, according to the Thai navy.
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that all 23 crew members were Thai nationals.
Following the attack, all Thai ships have left the Strait of Hormuz. Bangkok has “protested the violence committed against commercial vessels,” said Deputy Spokesperson of Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Panidol Patchimsawat, to reporters on Thursday.
“We are on a mission to find the three missing persons,” he added.
Since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February, triggering Middle Eastern conflict, the Islamic Republic has conducted strikes against neighbouring oil-exporting nations.
These attacks have threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and pushed the global economy into crisis. The strait is a critical waterway normally used by approximately one-fifth of global oil supplies.