AZE.US
A fully laden crude supertanker was struck by an unknown projectile off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Friday, Oct. 9, sparking a fire that was later extinguished, maritime authorities and industry sources said.
The incident occurred at about 10 a.m. GMT roughly 13 nautical miles, or 24 kilometers, west of Al Jazeera in the UAE, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO. The British navy-affiliated agency said it had received reports from multiple sources.
The status of the crew, the extent of the damage and any environmental impact remained unknown. Authorities were investigating the incident, and vessels in the area were advised to proceed with caution and report suspicious activity.
Panama-Flagged GEM NO.2 Identified
UKMTO did not name the ship. However, two shipping and security sources told Reuters that the vessel was the Panama-flagged crude supertanker GEM NO.2.
British maritime risk management group Vanguard said the tanker issued a distress alert reporting a fire aboard the vessel. The fire was subsequently put out.
LSEG ship-tracking data showed that the tanker was fully laden with oil and had been at anchor off the UAE coast. Its Panama-based operator, Gem No.2 Maritime Corp., could not immediately be reached for comment, Reuters reported.
Shipping Risk Spreads Beyond Hormuz
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the strike. Maritime security sources said the attack took place outside the usual Strait of Hormuz risk area, suggesting that the threat to commercial shipping may be spreading to a wider part of the Gulf.
The incident followed another attack earlier in the week on a tanker off Qatar’s coast. The U.S. Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center said in an update Thursday that attacks had become more frequent in recent days and required additional crew vigilance and industry monitoring.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical route for global energy shipments. Any sustained disruption or wider threat to vessels in nearby waters could raise shipping costs, delay cargoes and intensify concerns about oil supplies.
Source: Vesti Baku; Reuters.