Tanker hit by unknown projectile in Strait of Hormuz, 2 injured: UKMTO
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London: Two crew members sustained minor injuries after a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unknown projectile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Monday.
Military authorities informed the UKMTO that the tanker was conducting an inbound transit when it was hit. The vessel continued towards its next port of call under its own power, while no environmental impact had been reported at the time.
Authorities are investigating the incident, the UKMTO said, advising vessels operating in the area to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The incident came three days after the UKMTO reported that another tanker had been hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire onboard. All crew members in that incident were reported safe.
Early Friday, the navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said a "violating" oil tanker that had attempted to make an "illegal" passage through the Strait of Hormuz was struck the previous night and brought to a halt.
In a statement published by the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News, the navy said the Togo-flagged oil tanker, named "Trend", was stopped after catching fire following the strike.
The vessel had attempted to cross the strait "illegally" after being "deceived and provoked" by the US Army, the statement said. It warned that attempts to make an illegal passage through the waterway would lead to nothing but "destruction", Xinhua News Agency reported.
The IRGC navy also said its forces remained in control of the Strait of Hormuz "with strength" and would not allow passage by any "aggressor".
Earlier, the IRGC said a super oil tanker attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz through a "forbidden" route south of the waterway had exploded and caught fire after hitting naval mines.
In another statement published on Sepah News, the navy said efforts to contain the fire on the tanker, identified as "EL GAIA", had proved futile, with the entire vessel engulfed in flames.
It added that warnings had been issued about the risks of using the "illegal" route through the strategic waterway, stressing that the Strait of Hormuz remained closed and under the control of Iran's naval forces.
With IANS inputs