As maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz faced severe disruption, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said an explosion and fire had occurred aboard an oil supertanker. The navy said the tanker struck a sea mine while attempting to pass through the strait.
The incident took place on Friday, when the tanker was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil. The ship’s name, owner and registered flag were not disclosed.
According to the statement, the tanker struck the mine and an explosion occurred while attempting to use an alternative southern route to leave the strait after shutting down its navigation systems.
Iran’s accusations against the tanker
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy described the tanker as a vessel that “did not comply with the rules.” The statement alleged that the ship had shut down its navigation and radar systems.
The navy also alleged that the tanker had attempted to use U.S. military support to transport cargo through the strait. No independent confirmation of these allegations was provided.
Maritime traffic in the strait
Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a globally important passage for oil and natural gas shipments, was said to have been severely disrupted following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy did not provide information about any possible casualties or the extent of the damage.
Iran announced on July 12 that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz again, warning that it could target ships that deviated from the routes it had designated or passed through the strait without authorization. The Revolutionary Guard also said on October 14 that a ship carrying more than 2,500 containers had struck a mine and sunk south of the strait.
