Tanker struck by two unidentified projectiles off Oman, UKMTO says

A tanker was hit by two unidentified projectiles off the coast of Oman, and both penetrated its engine room, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

The incident took place about 26 kilometers northeast of Lima, Oman. UKMTO relayed the account of the vessel's company security officer, who reported the strike.

No casualties and no environmental damage have been reported so far.

The tanker's name, flag and cargo have not been released. Nor has it been said who fired the projectiles, or whether they came from the air, from the shore or from another vessel.

Where it happened

UKMTO is a Royal Navy-run body that collects reports from merchant ships in the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea. It issues alerts to shipping when vessels report attacks, suspicious approaches or other incidents. Its notices are often the first public word of an incident at sea.

Lima, also spelled Limah, lies on the Musandam peninsula, an Omani exclave on the Strait of Hormuz. That strait is the main sea route out of the Persian Gulf, and a large share of the world's seaborne oil passes through it. A hit to an engine room can disable a ship's propulsion and endanger its crew. The report says no one was hurt.

The UKMTO notice does not say what happened to the vessel afterward, including whether it is under power, anchored or being assisted.

Reports of attacks on commercial ships near Hormuz draw close attention in Israel. Iran and Iran-backed groups have targeted shipping in the region in the past, and Israeli-linked vessels have been among those hit. Nothing in the UKMTO report ties this incident to any country or group, and it would be premature to draw that link.

The report was first carried in Israel by Israel National News.