Oman rescues 25 from burning ship as Iran Guards halt four tankers

Oman said on Friday it had rescued 25 crew members from a merchant ship that was targeted and set ablaze, as Iran reported four oil tankers were halted while crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

Muscat’s navy “carried out an evacuation operation for 25 crew members of the merchant ship, flying the Panamanian flag, after it was targeted, which led to a fire on board,” Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said in a statement.

The crew members were provided with medical care, the Omani statement said, without giving details. The Marine Traffic ship-tracking website described the ship as a crude oil tanker.

Iran’s conflict with the United States and its regional allies showed fresh signs of escalation on Friday, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claiming that four oil tankers had caught fire and exploded in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz while attempting to navigate what Tehran described as “unauthorised routes.”

This story was originally published by Shipping Telegraph. Read the full story at Shipping Telegraph →