Iran war: Gulf tanker attacked, 1 seaferer killed
One seafarer was killed when an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf was attacked by what is believed to have been a missile, the vessel's operating company reported on Friday.
The Marshall Islands-flagged MT Velos Sapphire was sailing towards Bahrain when it was attacked, according to Greek management firm Velos Tankers. The explosion caused a fire on board, which the crew managed to extinguish without reporting any other injuries.
The company is greatly saddened to report the death of one of its seafarers, who was found fatally injured on board after having initially been reported missing in the aftermath of the explosion.
Rising attacks in Hormuz
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf by Iran. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Tehran has been using bomb-laden undersea drones, rocket-propelled grenades, and crews to attach limpet mines to vessels.
October saw the highest monthly number of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, with over 35 incidents reported by the UK Maritime Trade Operations Center. At least five more vessels have been attacked so far in November.
Regional tensions escalate
The attacks coincide with signs of recovery in shipping through Hormuz, with US Central Command reporting that Gulf countries exported 1.5 billion barrels of oil via the strait since summer. Iranian media reported multiple tankers caught fire after hitting mines in the strait on Thursday and Friday.
Meanwhile, Iran claimed to have destroyed a US MQ-1 drone over Qeshm Island on Friday, following US strikes on the island earlier in the week. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that the Middle East war would widen if the US resumes attacks.
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