Salvage Tug Reported Attacked Near Straits of Hormuz with Crew Feared Dead
A salvage tug sent to aid one of the vessels that had been attacked in the area around the Straits of Hormuz has apparently been attacked as well. The crewmembers from the tug are feared killed in a missile attack.
UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report from a third party of an apparent attack on a tug six nautical miles to the north of Oman. They reported the incident was being investigated.
The tug is being identified by multiple security consultants as the UAE-flagged Mussafah 2. Built in 2012, it is reported to be 134 gross tons with a length of 26 meters (85 feet). The vessel’s AIS has been dark since departing the Mina Zayed port in the United Arab Emirates yesterday.
The tug was believed to be heading to the disabled UAE-controlled containership Safeen Prestige. The vessel was struck on Wednesday and reported an engine room fire while off the coast of Oman.
Vanguard Tech is reporting that the tug was struck by two missiles today while approximately 18 nautical miles from Khasab, Oman. The report says there were eight crew aboard the tug and they are feared killed in the attack.
There is no official confirmation or statement from the Oman News Agency regarding the incident. On Wednesday, it confirmed that the Omani navy had organized the evacuation of the crew from the Safeen Prestige.
that matters most
Get the latest maritime news delivered to your inbox daily.
Reports indicate that the tug was also owned by AD Ports, which owns the containership. Dubai has been one of the areas heavily attacked by the Iranians in their revenge efforts in the Gulf.
This was one of several salvage efforts believed to be underway after the Iranians had struck approximately 10 large commercial ships in the Gulf region. VShips, which managed the product tanker MKD Vyom that was attacked earlier in the week, also reported that a salvage tug had been sent to the vessel. It said the tug assisted in putting out the fires, and efforts were underway to move the vessel to a port of refuge.