Gujarat Cargo Ship Sinks in Strait of Hormuz; Chinese Supertanker Also Attacked

New Delhi: The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO)—Britain’s maritime security agency—reported on Thursday that it had received information regarding an incident occurring 38 nautical miles (approximately 70 kilometers) northeast of the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to the agency, unauthorized individuals boarded and seized control of a vessel that was anchored at the time; the ship is now reportedly being steered toward Iranian waters. No information regarding the name of the vessel has been released at this time.

This incident near the Strait of Hormuz comes at a time when India stated on Thursday that an Indian-flagged vessel was attacked near the coast of Oman on Wednesday, although all crew members on board remain safe. Issuing a statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said, “This attack is unacceptable, and we condemn the fact that commercial vessels and civilian mariners are being continuously targeted.”

Indian Ship Was Transporting Livestock
The Gujarat-based cargo vessel ‘Haji Ali’ sank at sea on Wednesday following a suspected drone attack near the coast of Oman. According to officials, all 14 Indian crew members on board the ship were safely rescued by Omani authorities. Registered at Salaya Port in the Devbhumi Dwarka district, the vessel was en route from Somalia to Sharjah and was carrying a cargo of livestock.

According to reports, the incident occurred early Wednesday morning—at approximately 3:30 AM—while the ship was passing through the Lima area near Oman’s northern coast; it was struck by an unidentified explosive object. It is suspected that the attack may have been carried out using a drone or a missile. Following the attack, the vessel caught fire, lost its stability, and subsequently sank into the sea.

Immediately after the attack, the crew transmitted a distress signal and evacuated the vessel using lifeboats. A total of 14 people, including a supervisor, were on board the ship. The Oman Coast Guard conducted a rescue operation and safely transported all the sailors to Dibba Port. The ship’s owner, Sultan Ahmed Sanghar, also confirmed that everyone is safe. Currently, it remains unclear who carried out the attack on the ship.

Chinese Supertanker Also Attacked in the Strait of Hormuz
Meanwhile, a Chinese supertanker transited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. According to data from ship-tracking agencies LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) and Kpler, this tanker had been stranded in the Gulf region for over two months. Named the ‘Yuan Hua Hu,’ this massive crude oil tanker is currently anchored near the Gulf of Oman. This is the same area where the U.S. Navy has established a blockade-like arrangement against Iranian vessels.

This voyage by the Chinese ship took place at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were meeting in Beijing on Thursday. Prior to this, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had also visited China last week. According to ship-tracking data, this marks the third time a Chinese oil tanker has transited the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran began in late February.