IRGC says supertanker on fire after hitting mines in Strait of Hormuz

A supertanker caught fire after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC navy identified the vessel as the Algaya or El Gaia, a ship flying under the Panamanian flag, according to different reports.

Efforts to control the fire failed, leaving the entire ship engulfed in flames, the IRGC said. The incident occurred while the tanker was trying to cross a restricted zone south of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs reported that 13 of the 14 Indian crew aboard had been rescued, with search and rescue operations ongoing for the missing individual. The incident led to a rise in oil prices, with Brent crude futures rising $2.90 to $107.51 per barrel and WTI futures rising $2.27 to $102.32 per barrel.

Brief written by urgent.news from Middle East Eye, Jerusalem Post, Adom Online — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.