UAE Offshore Tug Hit by Projectile in Strait of Hormuz
An Emirati-owned offshore tug was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, north-west of the Musandam Peninsula, on the evening of Sunday, 1 November. The Musandam Peninsula is the tip of Oman that juts into the strait, the narrow sea passage linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
Maritime security firm Vanguard Tech named the vessel as the Selat Storm, an older offshore tug and supply ship of about 1,300 dwt. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre said the incident happened just after 1500 UTC. Tracking data shows the tug had just left Al Hamriyah in the UAE, where it had been at berth for several weeks.
The master of a passing ship picked up the tug’s mayday call and passed it on to the authorities. Vanguard Tech said the Selat Storm was “partially sinking”. There was no information on the number, nationality or condition of the crew at the time of reporting.
This is the second likely attack on a tug in the strait since 18 October, when the Dutch-flagged tug JIF Barracuda was hit. Since the previous Thursday, at least four tankers have also been disabled or damaged in the area, including the LNG carrier Al Mayeda, whose crew were reported safe. The Gulf Cooperation Council’s Secretary General described the targeting of ships as a dangerous escalation.
The attack shows that small support craft, not only large tankers, now face projectile risk in the strait. Crews on tugs and supply vessels working in the area are likely to see tighter security briefings and closer contact with UKMTO, and companies are expected to review routing and timing for movements near Musandam.
