Tanker Burns off Musandam as US Warns Ships on Hormuz
A tanker was reported on fire and mostly submerged near the middle of the Strait of Hormuz on 28 October, about nine nautical miles north of Khasab, a port town at the northern tip of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. The peninsula juts into the strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, facing the Iranian coast.
UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the incident happened at about 0300 UTC and described it as an apparent attack. The master of a passing ship reported the fire, and UK security firm Vanguard Tech said the tanker had been hit by a projectile. The ship has not been named, and UKMTO said the status of the crew was unknown. A third vessel was reported nearby and may have been helping.
Analysts count around 30 Iranian attacks on merchant ships since the start of October, the fastest pace since the conflict began in February. Most have taken place in or near the strait.
On the same day, US Naval Forces Central Command issued an advisory through the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC). It says ships with no need to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman should “remain well clear”. Ships that must transit are told to allow extra time for heavy traffic and blockade enforcement. Neutral ships, including those sailing in ballast between neutral ports, may be questioned, boarded and searched.
Crews bound for the Gulf face longer passages, possible naval boarding and a high risk of attack. Seafarers on these voyages should be briefed by their companies on the latest UKMTO and JMIC guidance, and should know their war-zone rights before the ship enters the area.
