Oil tanker attacked, two Filipinos killed
Bahri confirms that its vessel SIDR was involved in a security incident while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Bahri confirms that its vessel SIDR was involved in a security incident while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Two Filipino sailors were killed when a Saudi oil tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, Saudi Arabia’s national shipping company said Wednesday.
A Greek security firm earlier said “unknown projectiles” hit the ship on Monday. Fresh violence has flared between the United States and Iran this week.
“Bahri confirms that its vessel SIDR was involved in a security incident while transiting the Strait of Hormuz” late on Monday, the carrier said on X, confirming “the loss of its two Filipino seafarers.”
After six months of war, the foes remain at an impasse, with Iran disrupting traffic in the strategic Strait of Hormuz with its blockade and the US persisting with a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.
Overnight Monday to Tuesday, unidentified projectiles struck two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, Greek maritime risk management firm Marisks had said.
Both vessels loaded two million barrels of crude at Juaymah on Saudi Arabia’s east coast last week, according to Kpler data.
On Wednesday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said two oil tankers caught fire after striking mines while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
“A rogue supertanker attempting to pass through the illegal route south of the Strait of Hormuz caught fire in massive fires after striking two naval mines and was brought to a complete stop,” Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a statement.
The US military on Monday denied Iran’s claim.
“No ships have hit mines in the Strait of Hormuz,” US Central Command said on X. “This is yet another IRGC attempt to intimidate regional commercial shipping through disinformation,” it added, referring to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The US renewed its attacks on Iran this week, with Tehran hitting back in the Gulf, mainly targeting US assets.
Iran says it wants to charge service fees and has attacked ships it accuses of attempting to circumvent its preferred route through the waterway.
Attacks on commercial ships in the strait, which was free to transit before the war, previously led to the collapse of an April ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
