A Thai-flagged cargo ship bound for India was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, leaving three crew members missing after an explosion hit the ship.
Bulk carrier Mayuri Nari, carrying 23 crew members, had departed from Khalifa Port in the United Arab Emirates and was heading towards Kandla Port in Gujarat. As she was passing through the narrow Gulf shipping lanes, she was hit by an unmarked projectile, causing the ship to catch fire.
According to Thailand’s Marine Department, Oman’s Royal Navy rescued 20 crew members and brought them ashore in Khasab, Oman. Although three crew members are still missing, officials say they are believed to have been inside the engine room when the blast occurred.
Thai maritime authorities said search and rescue operations were underway in coordination with domestic and international agencies to locate the missing sailors and assist those rescued.
The Royal Thai Navy confirmed the incident, saying its Maritime Traffic Control Center received initial reports around 11 a.m. local time that the ship had been attacked while sailing near the Strait of Hormuz.
The 30,000-tonne bulk carrier, owned by Thai shipping company Precious Shipping, had left the UAE a day before the attack. Following the report, Thai Navy liaison officers working with the multinational Maritime Security Coalition Combined Maritime Forces contacted the Royal Thai Embassy in Muscat to coordinate assistance with local authorities in Oman.
Pictures released by the Thai Navy showed thick black smoke billowing from the ship’s hull and superstructure, while life rafts could be seen in the water as crew members evacuated the burning ship. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the British military-run Maritime Security Coordination Centre, had earlier said the ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, just north of Oman.
Iran has effectively blocked cargo traffic through parts of the strait and has reportedly targeted oil fields and refineries in Gulf Arab states. These actions are being seen as attempts to exert economic pressure amid the ongoing war with the US-Israel.