UAE:

A maritime charity has claimed an oil tanker sought by the US over allegedly trying to circumvent sanctions on Iran was hijacked on July 5 off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

Satellite photos showed the vessel in Iranian waters on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear what happened aboard the MT Gulf Sky, though its reported hijacking comes after months of tensions between Iran and the US.

David Hammond, chief executive of the Uk-based group Human Rights at Sea, said he took a witness statement from the captain of the MT Gulf Sky confirming the ship had been hijacked.

Mr Hammond said 26 of the Indian sailors on board had made it back to India, while two remain in Tehran. “We are delighted to hear the crew are safe and well which has been our fundamental concern from the outset,” he said.