Oil tanker hit by unidentified projectile off Oman: UKMTO

An oil tanker was hit by an unidentified projectile off the coast of the Omani city of Khasab, near the Strait of Hormuz, with no casualties or environmental damage reported, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Sunday.

In a statement, the agency said: “We received a time-late report of a maritime incident 12 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman, where a tanker travelling towards the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz was struck by a projectile of unknown origin.”

READ: Trump says millions of barrels of oil flowing through Strait of Hormuz

UKMTO said the incident occurred on Saturday, adding that there were no casualties or environmental impact. It said the relevant authorities had launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident.

The agency urged vessels transiting the area to exercise extreme caution and immediately report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.

Earlier, Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the UN’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO), said at least 70 attacks had targeted vessels in the Strait of Hormuz in the six months following the start of the US-Israeli military operation against Iran, killing 19 seafarers.

READ: Iran transfers $7.5B in oil revenues to central bank despite US naval blockade: Report