Kuwaiti loaded oil tanker ablaze in Dubai Port after Iranian attack, no casualties
The attack damaged the vessel and caused a fire onboard, although no casualties were reported, state news agency KUNA said on Tuesday (Mar 31).
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Iran attacked a fully-loaded crude oil tanker at Dubai Port's anchorage on Monday (Mar 30), setting it ablaze and damaging its hull, Kuwait's state news agency reported, citing Kuwait Petroleum Corp, which warned of a possible oil spill.
The apparent strike is just the latest in a string of assaults on merchant vessels by missiles or explosive air and sea drones in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28.
US crude futures rose more than US$3 or 2.9 per cent to US$105.91 a barrel on news that the Kuwait-flagged Al-Salmi tanker had been attacked.
Authorities in Dubai confirmed they were responding to a drone attack on a Kuwaiti oil tanker in Dubai waters and that maritime firefighting teams were working to bring the fire under control.
No injuries have been reported, and the safety of all 24 crew members has been secured, they said.
Work is underway to accurately assess damage to the tanker, said KPC, which according to Lloyd's List Intelligence data is the parent company of the vessel's registered owner and commercial operator.
Iranian officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Earlier on Monday, a Greek-owned container ship located off the coast of Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura reported two separate incidents where projectiles hit water near the vessel, maritime security experts said.
A representative from the Liberian-flagged Express Rome reported two unknown projectiles splashing into the water near the container ship approximately 40.7km northeast of Ras Tanura at 1.52pm GMT (9.52pm, Singapore time).
The incidents occurred within one hour of each other and the crew was reported safe, British maritime risk-management group Vanguard said.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps previously claimed to have attacked the Express Rome on Mar 11, Vanguard said.
The operator of Express Rome did not immediately comment.
No group has claimed responsibility for the strike on the oil tanker or the projectiles.
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