MUSCAT (dpa-AFX) – Two ships were attacked in the Gulf of Oman. The oil tanker “Skylight” was hit about nine kilometers off the Omani coast near Musandam, reported the Oman News Agency, citing the Omani Center for Maritime Security. Four people were injured. The 20-person crew of the ship flying the flag of the Pacific island state of Palau was evacuated. Further details were initially not known.
The British Navy’s Maritime Trade Authority (UKMTO) reported another incident about 90 kilometers northeast of the Omani capital Muscat. A ship was attacked by an unknown missile, it was said. A fire in the engine room is now under control. Further details were initially not known here either.
The incidents occurred near the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian News Agency reported yesterday that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have restricted shipping traffic in the strategically important strait. Accordingly, ships repeatedly received radio messages prohibiting them from passing through. The crews would be asked to stop the machines and prepare for possible boarding, it said.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important choke points for global energy trade. Around a fifth of global oil shipments pass through the strait every day. Any disruption could cause energy prices to rise and unsettle international markets./arj/DP/zb
