Fire opened during blockade of Iranian ports
US forces opened fire on the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova as it sailed westward in the Gulf of Oman and attempted to breach the US naval blockade targeting Iranian ports.
A US official said an American helicopter fired on the ship's rudder after the vessel ignored warnings from US personnel. The official also said the crew appeared to be trying to transfer to another civilian vessel after the incident.
Fire broke out aboard vessel hit by missile
Maritime security company Vanguard announced that a missile fired from a helicopter struck the Vela Nova while it was sailing in the Gulf of Oman.
The vessel was about 71 nautical miles, or 131 kilometers, from the coast of Pakistan. The fire that broke out aboard the ship after the missile strike was later extinguished.
No fatalities were reported immediately after the incident, and all 17 crew members aboard the vessel were accounted for.