Vessel Reported on Fire Off Oman Coast, Crew Status Unknown

MUSCAT, Oct 29:  A vessel was reported on fire in the Strait of Hormuz - off Oman coast, about nine nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman, early Thursday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

In an advisory issued on October 29, UKMTO said it had received a report from the master of a third-party vessel who sighted another vessel on fire at around 0300 UTC (6:00 am Kuwait time).

The status of the crew aboard the vessel on fire remains unknown.

UKMTO said there was no damage assessment or report of environmental impact available at the time of the advisory.

The maritime agency advised vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO while authorities investigate the incident.

No information was immediately available about the identity of the vessel, the cause of the fire or whether the incident involved an attack.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical international shipping route connecting the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Any incident in the area can raise concerns over the safety of commercial shipping and regional maritime security.

The circumstances surrounding Thursday’s incident remain unclear.