[CLSTR]
API
< Back to situations

Monitor this situation.

[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [INTERNATIONAL]

3 clusters · 28 sources · 8 days · First seen · Last updated

Maritime attacks in the Persian Gulf

Overview

A series of projectile strikes against commercial vessels has been reported in the Persian Gulf. On October 31, an unidentified vessel, potentially the Qatari LNG tanker Al Maida, caught fire after being struck by an unidentified projectile approximately 74 kilometers south of Lavan Island, Iran. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that all crew members were safe and no environmental damage was documented. On November 4, the Velos Sapphire, a Marshall Islands flagged oil products tanker under Greek management, was struck by two projectiles while within the Iranian Exclusive Economic Zone. The strikes caused a fire on the port side of the vessel. While the managing company stated all crew members were safe, the International Maritime Organization recorded that one crew member was missing. On November 5, it was confirmed that the missing crew member on the Velos Sapphire was found dead on board following an explosion at approximately 01:15 local time. The explosion, reportedly caused by an unidentified projectile striking the port bow, triggered a fire that the crew successfully extinguished. The vessel was positioned approximately 54 nautical miles north of Madinat Ash Shamal, Qatar, at the time of the strike. The Velos Sapphire is proceeding to Khalifa Bin Salman Port in Bahrain for crew support and a preliminary investigation. No marine pollution has been detected. On November 8, the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers reported that the deceased seafarer was a Filipino national. The department confirmed that 21 other Filipino crew members were safe and unharmed. While initial reports suggested a possible drone attack may have caused the explosion, authorities have not yet verified the exact cause. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac stated that the Philippine government will provide support to the deceased seafarer’s family.

Entities

Persian Gulf · United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations · MT Velos Sapphire · MT Velos Sapphire · Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Filipino seafarer killed in Persian Gulf tanker explosion

    A Filipino seafarer died in an explosion aboard the MT Velos Sapphire tanker in the Persian Gulf. Twenty-one other Filipino crew members were unharmed, and the cause of the blast remains unverified.

  2. [INTERNATIONAL] 22 sources
    MT Velos Sapphire tanker hit by projectile in Persian Gulf

    A seafarer died after an explosion struck the MT Velos Sapphire tanker in the Persian Gulf. The vessel was sailing unladen toward Bahrain when it was hit by an unidentified projectile.

  3. [INTERNATIONAL] 4 sources
    Vessel hit by unidentified projectile in Persian Gulf

    A vessel caught fire after being struck by an unidentified projectile south of Lavan Island, Iran. Crew members are safe, and investigations are ongoing.

Sources

aftabnews.ir · agrinionews.gr · arabnews.pk · astig.ph · astratv.gr · breitbart.com · cmjornal.pt · econoTimes.com · greekcitytimes.com · gulfnews.com · iependitis.gr · insajder.net · ir.voanews.com · koutipandoras.gr · lykavitos.gr · negarmag.com · newarab.com · newindianexpress.com · newsbomb.gr · rokna.net · rthess.gr · rtp.pt · sports.tribune.net.ph · theglobalfilipinomagazine.com · thepressroom.gr · topky.sk · tothemaonline.com · wydarzenia.interia.pl

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history