Key facts
- A US missile struck the Marivex tanker off Oman on Monday.
A US missile struck a sanctioned oil tanker off Oman after its crew failed to comply with US instructions, causing a fire and sinking. All 24 Indian crew members were rescued by the Omani military.
The incident highlights the escalating tensions and risks in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy transit route, and underscores the potential dangers faced by commercial shipping amidst military blockades and sanctions.
The Indian crew of a sanctioned oil tanker, the Marivex, issued a distress call reporting the ship was on fire and sinking after being hit by a US missile off Oman on Monday. US Central Command (Centcom) stated that the vessel had violated its blockade of Iranian ports and a "precision munition" was fired after the crew failed to comply with US instructions. Images shared with BBC Verify appear to show a US San Antonio-class warship sailing past the Marivex after the strike.
Centcom confirmed that an F-18 Super Hornet fighter jet from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was responsible for firing the munition into the ship's engineering and steering spaces. The US military has been blockading Iran's ports, which effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies. The Marivex is reportedly the seventh ship to be disabled by the US for violating this blockade.
Opesh Kumar Sharma of India's ministry of ports, shipping and waterways confirmed that a fire broke out on the tanker, which was not loaded with oil, at approximately 13:30 India time (08:00 GMT). However, he did not comment on the cause of the fire. All 24 crew members aboard the Marivex were rescued by the Omani military, according to Indian authorities.