“Violating” Supertanker Hit and Set Ablaze in Strait of Hormuz

Tehran (ANTARA) - The semi-official news agency Fars reported on Thursday night that a giant tanker, which violated regulations while traversing the Strait of Parallel, had been struck and is currently on fire after using an unofficial route on the southern side of the shipping lane.

The vessel, which has a capacity of 2.5 million barrels of oil, was hit in waters approximately 8 kilometres off the coast of Oman.

The incident was also reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) in a statement published on its website on Thursday night.

UKMTO stated that it had received third-party reports of a tanker being struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a fire.

UKMTO also noted that the crew is reported to be safe, though assessments regarding damage and environmental impact were unknown at the time of the report.

Quoting a statement from the Iranian Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the body responsible for maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, Fars reported on Thursday that several oil tankers have been hit in these waters in recent days, with the three most recent being owned or chartered by the United Arab Emirates.

Iran tightened its control over the Strait of Hormuz on 28 February, closing safe passage for vessels owned by or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint attacks on Iranian territory.