A tanker sailing out through the Strait of Hormuz caught fire on October 29 after a small boat attached explosives to its hull near Oman, but the crew were reported safe and the vessel later continued toward its next port.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said the incident happened about 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab. In a verified update, UKMTO said the boat approached the tanker on its left side and attached two explosive devices above the waterline. The explosions started a fire in the engine room.
They also temporarily stopped the ship from operating. By the next day, the agency said, the fire had been put out. The agency said the crew were safe and no environmental impact had been reported.
UKMTO did not identify who was responsible for the attack. The maritime publication Seatrade Maritime, citing security firm Vanguard, identified the vessel as the Panama-flagged Louise 1. UKMTO’s advisory did not name the tanker.
The incident added to a series of concerns about maritime security in and near the strategic strait. However, the reports available did not establish a connection between this attack and other events in the area.