Oil Tanker Struck and Disabled Off Oman's Musandam Coast

GULF OF OMAN — The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center issued Warning 120-26 after the master of an oil tanker reported the ship struck by an unknown projectile 9 nautical miles (10 miles, 17 kilometers) northeast of Ash Shishah, Oman.

UKMTO logged the report at 8:25 p.m. UTC on August 24 and classified the event as an attack. The master said the projectile damaged the engine room and left the tanker unable to proceed. UKMTO said the crew was reported safe and that environmental impact was unknown in the initial warning.

The stated position sits on the eastern face of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, on the Gulf of Oman approach to the Strait of Hormuz.

The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), in an advisory issued August 23 with information current to 3:00 p.m. UTC that day, rated the strait SEVERE and recorded no confirmed attacks in the prior 48 hours. Warning 120-26 is the first UKMTO attack product on that corridor after that cutoff.

In a separate incident the same calendar day, UKMTO Warning 119-26 said a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile 63 nautical miles (72 miles, 117 kilometers) west of Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, with a fire on the main deck. That event is in the Red Sea, not the Gulf of Oman.

What Happened

• August 24, 8:25 p.m. UTC: UKMTO issued Warning 120-26 and classified the master’s report from the Ash Shishah offset as an attack.

• August 23, information current to 3:00 p.m. UTC: JMIC rated the Strait of Hormuz SEVERE and the Gulf of Oman MODERATE and recorded no confirmed attacks in the prior 48 hours (JMIC Advisory Note Update 088).

• Week ending August 21: UKMTO published its Voluntary Reporting Area overview describing the southern Omani share in the week-ending-August 21 overview.

• August 24, separate incident: UKMTO Warning 119-26 recorded a tanker struck 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, with a main-deck fire and crew reported safe (UKMTO Warning 119-26).

Locations Affected

• Ash Shishah, Musandam Governorate, Oman: populated-place reference used by UKMTO, about 26.2603 N, 56.3936 E.

• Reported incident position, Gulf of Oman: about 26.37 N, 56.51 E (approximate, derived from the stated distance and bearing).

• Separate August 24 incident, Red Sea: 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu, Saudi Arabia (UKMTO Warning 119-26; UKMTO did not publish coordinates).

Red Sea Tanker Fire Is a Separate Event

UKMTO Warning 119-26, issued earlier on August 24, said a company security officer reported a tanker struck by an unknown projectile 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, with a fire on the main deck.

UKMTO said all crew were safe and accounted for and that no environmental impact had been reported. That position is in the Red Sea approaches, not the Gulf of Oman.

Official Statements

• United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, Warning 120-26, August 24: “UKMTO has received a report of an incident 9NM northeast of Ash Shishah, Oman. The Master of an oil tanker reports the vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile causing damage to the engine room and disabling the vessel. Crew are reported safe. Environmental impact is unknown at time of report. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO. Authorities are investigating.”

• Joint Maritime Information Center, Advisory Note Update 088, information current to 3:00 p.m. UTC August 23: “Due to recent Iranian attacks, the threat level remains SEVERE, with deliberate hostile action considered as highly likely under current conditions. Navigation interference persists, and mine-risk reporting remains relevant within and adjacent to the TSS. IRGC attacks, hailing, and routing pressure continue, particularly for AIS-on vessels.”