March 30 (Reuters) – A Greek-owned container ship located off the coast of Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura reported two separate incidents where projectiles hit water near the vessel, maritime security experts said on Monday.
A representative from the Liberian-flagged Express Rome reported two unknown projectiles splashing into the water near the container ship approximately 22 nautical miles (40.7 km) northeast of Ras Tanura at 1352 UTC. The incidents occurred within one hour of each other and the crew was reported safe, British maritime risk management group Vanguard said.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps previously claimed to have attacked the Express Rome on March 11, Vanguard said.
Earlier on Monday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said a company security officer of a container vessel reported two unknown projectiles had splashed into the water in proximity to the vessel within an hour of each other, adding that all crew members were reported safe.
The operator of the vessel did not immediately comment.
No group has claimed responsibility for Monday’s incident.
Commercial vessels have come under attack from missiles or explosive air and sea drones in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
(Reporting by Muhammad Al Gebaly, Menna Alaa El Din, Elwely Elwelly, Jonathan Saul and Lisa Baertlein;Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Matthew Lewis)
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