Iran Claims LPG Carrier Hit Mine in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claims that an LPG carrier struck a naval mine and suffered an explosion in the eastern Strait of Hormuz on 13 November. The strait is the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman’s Musandam Peninsula that links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
Iranian state media said the gas carrier was on an “unauthorised route” and had tried to use a prohibited southern passage despite repeated warnings. The ship’s name, flag, extent of damage and the condition of its crew have not been disclosed, and reports differ on the type of gas it was carrying. The claim has not been independently verified, and UKMTO had not confirmed any incident at the time of reporting.
From the CrewMirror Blog
The claim follows a week of attacks in the area. The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) recorded four tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Gulf on 10 and 11 November, including strikes on the Fujairah Energy, NCC Fajr and Dominica Prosperity. JMIC says 181 vessel incidents have been recorded since 1 March and keeps its threat level for the strait at SEVERE.
Iran made a similar claim in late October, when it said three tankers had hit mines on a southern route through the strait. Those ships were never named or verified. Mines add to the risks for crews in the Strait of Hormuz, which already include drone and projectile strikes.
CrewMirror Takeaway
Until the facts are confirmed, crews transiting the strait are safest following the latest UKMTO and JMIC guidance closely, keeping a sharp lookout and having damage-control and abandon-ship plans ready. Seafarers asked to sail into the area should also know their rights under warlike-area terms before they go.
