Kuwaiti Oil Tanker Al Salam Two Attacked in Strait of Hormuz, Crew Safe
LONDON: Al Salam Two is a Kuwaiti oil tanker that was targeted and struck by an unidentified object in the Strait of Hormuz, according to The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
British marine officials say the strike caused a small hole in the tanker above the waterline and small fires. Crew on board the vessel responded immediately, putting out the fire and there were no injuries or casualties reported. Also, no oil leaks have been found. The state of the ship has been brought under control and investigations are continuing into the incident, authorities said.
No definitive clues have yet been found to determine the origin of the projectile or who might have fired it.The Strait of Hormuz is a chokepep that links the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It is a world-class transportation corridor, where huge oil and petroleum product tankers pass through each day, making it vital for international energy supplies.It has also increased tensions in the region and made commercial shipping vessels more vulnerable to threats in the Strait of Hormuz.
Following the latest events, the maritime authorities have issued a warning to maritime transport companies and vessels to be extremely careful and keep their vigilant eyes open for the changing threats in the region. Al Salam Two is attacked at a time when transiting commercial ships are still under extreme security threat in critical maritime transportation routes in the Gulf, although there are no casualties in this latest attack.