Tanker hit by projectile near Strait of Hormuz was operating in ‘dark mode’
Photos of the ship from September 13 indicate that the engine room was attacked and damaged by the projectile; the tanker had 25 crew members on board: 14 Indian and 11 Pakistani nationals.
The tanker MT El Gaia, which was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, was reportedly operating with its Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched off, effectively putting it in "dark mode." The ship, with 25 crew members onboard, had completed its last port of call in Sohar, Oman. The vessel had 14 Indian and 11 Pakistani crew members, with two crew members missing: Third Engineer Muhammad Hammad Obaida and Oiler Sumit Kumar Singh.
Both men were on watch in the engine room when the attack occurred. The incident damaged the engine room and occurred around September 13. The 20-year-old vessel, owned by Dubai-based companies, has a cargo capacity of 48,000 tonnes. The Omani Coast Guard boarded the ship following the attack, transferring the remaining 23 crew members to an Omani vessel for return to shore.
Neither the Indian government nor Iran's IRGC Navy have claimed responsibility for the attack. Iran's IRGC Navy alleges the tanker struck naval mines while using an illegal route south of the strait, a claim the United States disputes, stating the vessel was struck by a missile and later a drone.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 2 other outlets
- Oman searches for 2 crew members after tanker hit in Strait of Hormuz freemalaysiatoday.com
- German chancellor urges Iran to open Strait of Hormuz, halt proxy support english.ajel.sa
