Tanker catches fire after being struck by unknown projectile in Strait of Hormuz

ISTANBUL: A tanker caught fire after being struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Sunday, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

The master of the outbound tanker reported that the vessel was struck on its port side by an unknown projectile, causing a fire on board, UKMTO said.

The crew were reported safe, while the extent of the damage and any environmental effects remained unknown.

Authorities are investigating, and vessels were advised to transit the area with caution.

The incident came hours after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said late on Saturday that an oil supertanker had struck a naval mine and exploded while attempting to leave the Strait of Hormuz via an unauthorised southern route.

The IRGC said the vessel, which it described as capable of carrying around two million barrels of oil, had switched off its navigation systems before trying to cross the vital shipping route for global energy and commodity supplies.

It said the tanker struck a mine while trying to exit via the alternative route, triggering an explosion visible from coastal areas.