March 30 (Reuters) – A tanker ship caught fire near the Strait of Hormuz after a strike by an unknown projectile, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on Monday.
The tanker was 31 nautical miles (57.4 km) northwest of Dubai when the projectile hit the tanker on its starboard side, UKMTO said, citing a report at 2020 UTC from the vessel’s company security officer.
The crew was safe and accounted for and no environmental impact was reported, UKMTO said.
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.
Earlier on Monday, 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.
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.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps previously claimed to have attacked the Express Rome on March 11, Vanguard said.
The operator of the vessel did not immediately comment.
No group has claimed responsibility for Monday’s incidents.
(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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