Three crew members are believed to be trapped on board a Thai bulk carrier bound for India that was hit by projectiles while sailing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, while rescue operations continue in the region, the shipowner said.
The ship, known as the Mayuree Naree, was struck on Wednesday morning as it traveled through the Gulf waterway after departing from Khalifa Port in the United Arab Emirates, Agence France-Presse reported.
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According to the Thailand Maritime and Ship Traffic Control Centre, the ship was heading to Kandla Port in Gujarat state when it was attacked at around 10 am. Precious Shipping Company, which owns the ship, said that the projectiles damaged the ship’s engine room and started a fire on board.
The company said in a statement: “Three crew members have been reported missing and are believed to be trapped in the engine room,” adding that authorities are working to rescue them, according to Agence France-Presse. The identities of the trapped crew members and their health conditions are not yet clear.
Read also | India condemns the Iranian attack on the container ship heading to Kandla
The Royal Navy of Oman rescued 20 sailors who evacuated the ship using lifeboats after the attack, according to reports citing the Royal Thai Navy. The Thai Ministry of Transport said the crew abandoned the ship in a lifeboat after an explosion occurred near the ship’s stern, causing a fire in the engine compartment where the three missing sailors were working, a separate Reuters report noted.
The Thai Foreign Ministry said that all 23 crew members on board the ship were Thai citizens.
Iran claims responsibility
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it struck the Thai-registered Mayuri Nare and a Liberian-flagged ship in the strait after the ships ignored warnings from Iranian naval forces.
Read also | As Iran attacks shipping ships in the Gulf, stocks fall, and the price of oil exceeds $100 a barrel
In this regard, India said that it took note of the reports regarding the attack on the Thai cargo ship that was heading to an Indian port. The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that India “regrets the fact that commercial shipping has become the target of military attacks” amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important sea lanes, through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil supplies usually pass.
Shipping activity in the region has been under increasing threat since the escalation of hostilities between Iran and the United States.
(With inputs from agencies)
