Tanker hijacked by armed attackers in Gulf of Oman
AN ARMED gang of up to nine men reportedly seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman yesterday.
The Asphalt Princess was said to have been hijacked off the coast of Fujairah in the UAE where around a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil exports travel through.
At around the same time, up to five tankers in the area also reported they were ‘not under command’, which can sometimes mean a vessel cannot steer. It was unclear what had happened or whether the incidents were linked to the alleged hijacking. One of the ships in question later began moving again, according to reports.
A maritime security source said Iran-backed forces were suspected of being behind the alleged hijacking, although another source cautioned to Sky News that there was no clear link.
Another source told the same news channel that eight or nine people armed with guns had boarded the tanker, which flies under the flag of Panama, before seizing control of it. There is not believed to be any British link with the vessel.
The reports came after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations warned hours earlier of a ‘potential hijack’ in the area.
The incident came amid tensions between Iran, the US, Israel and the UK after a drone attack last week on the Mercer Street. The Israeli-managed tanker was hit off the Omani coast last week, killing two crew members, including a Briton.
The US, UK and Israel said Iran was responsible for what prime minister Boris Johnson called an ‘outrageous’ attack. Tehran has denied the claim.