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By 247ureports.com
A fully laden crude supertanker was struck off the United Arab Emirates coast on Friday, October 9, setting off a fire that was put out and leaving all 22 crew members safe. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say the ship hit a naval mine while taking an unauthorised route out of the Strait of Hormuz, but maritime security groups and other officials describe a strike by a projectile or drone, and the cause remains disputed.
What Happened
The Panama-flagged vessel, named by shipping and security sources as GEM NO. 2, was hit at about 10:00 GMT, roughly 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazeera in the UAE, according to British maritime risk group Vanguard. Ship-tracking data showed it at anchor off the UAE coast and fully laden with oil. It issued a distress alert reporting a fire on board, which was later extinguished. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the vessel was struck by an unknown projectile.
Equasis lists the ship as a 302,783-deadweight-tonne very large crude carrier managed by Anglo Eastern Tankers, with ownership linked to a Taiwanese-registered company. The UAE National Guard said it rescued 22 crew members after a report of a fire on board, all in stable condition. India’s shipping minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said all 22 Indian crew were safe and described the incident as a drone strike while the tanker was anchored off Sharjah.
Iran’s Account
On Saturday, October 10, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said a supertanker carrying crude oil struck a naval mine while trying to leave the Strait of Hormuz through “an unauthorized route,” according to Iranian state media. The Guards did not name the vessel or give its position. Its Navy said: “A massive fire awaits any violating oil tanker that seeks to disregard the security and regulations of the Strait of Hormuz,” and warned that it would widen its targeting of vessels transiting Hormuz without Iranian authorisation.
What Is Not Confirmed
Social media footage and posts describe the ship as carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi crude, and as hit by an Iranian naval mine. 247ureports.com could not confirm the cargo’s origin or quantity. The mine account comes from Iran, while the UKMTO and Vanguard accounts refer to an unknown projectile, and India’s minister cites a drone. The strike was also at anchor inside the Gulf, which does not match the IRGC’s description of a ship leaving the Strait. Damage to the vessel and any environmental impact have not been made public.
A Widening Pattern
The incident extends a grim run. UKMTO has issued a warning on every day of October so far, 13 in total, each about a separate incident, and the International Maritime Organization lists six confirmed attacks this month, including a strike on the One Peace on October 5 that injured at least 12 seafarers. A risk adviser noted that this attack came almost a month after the last suspected Iranian strike on a commercial vessel outside the Strait.
The backdrop is a US naval blockade of Iranian ports, which American forces say they resumed on July 14, and Iran’s own control regime in Hormuz. Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority keeps a list of non-compliant vessels that now stands at 100, and GEM NO. 2 does not appear on it. Daily crossings through the strait have fallen well below the more than 20 recorded on October 4 and 5, which is keeping pressure on oil prices and war-risk insurance rates.
