على سطحها حطام مقذوف غامض.. انفجار يهز ناقلة نفط شرق الفجيرة

The British Marine Trade Operations Authority announced today (Wednesday) that it received a report from the captain of an oil tanker that experienced a security incident approximately 10 nautical miles, or about 18.5 km, east of the Emirate of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

The ship's captain reported hearing a loud explosion, followed by the discovery of scattered debris resulting from an unknown projectile on the tanker’s deck, which caused limited damage to the steel structure, particularly in the chimney area and upper sides.

The Marine Trade Operations Authority confirmed that the incident did not result in a fire, water leakage, or injuries among the crew members, all of whom are fine, and advised passing vessels in the area to exercise extreme caution and report any suspicious activity immediately.

This incident comes amid escalating security tensions in the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, where the region has witnessed a series of similar incidents since late February and early March, including attacks on commercial ships and oil tankers with projectiles or fragments from intercepted missiles/drones.

Among the notable incidents are tankers being hit by projectiles north of Muscat, Oman, and northwest of Saqr Port in Ras Al Khaimah, an explosion of a projectile near a ship tens of miles west of Sharjah, and debris from intercepted drones falling over oil areas in Fujairah, leading to limited fires in some facilities.

The Fujairah area is considered one of the most important ship refueling centers in the world, located directly outside the Strait of Hormuz on the Gulf of Oman, making it a vital passage for the transport of oil and petroleum products globally.