Key facts
- The GFS Pride container ship sank near the Strait of Hormuz after a projectile strike.
- All 21 crew members of the GFS Pride were evacuated safely.
- The GFS Giselle sustained hull damage from a projectile.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed the GFS Pride hit naval mines on an unauthorized route.
- The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported two unnamed container ships were struck by projectiles.
The Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride sank near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday after being struck by an unknown projectile, according to Singaporean authorities. All 21 crew members were evacuated safely.
Another Singapore-flagged vessel, the GFS Giselle, sustained hull damage on Wednesday after being hit by a projectile but managed to reach a safe anchorage with its 22 crew members.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards stated that a ship sank after hitting naval mines while transiting an "unauthorised" route in the Strait of Hormuz. The Guards released photos appearing to show smoke from a container vessel still afloat but down by the stern, with containers visible floating in the water.
The Hydrographer of Pakistan issued a navigational warning that the GFS Pride had sunk approximately 7.4 kilometers north-west of Ras al-Sheikh Masud in Oman's Musandam Peninsula. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported that two unnamed container ships sustained minor damage from unknown projectiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz between 16:40 and 17:00 GMT on Tuesday and were able to continue their journeys.
Merchant vessels have faced repeated attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East region since February. According to the UN's International Maritime Organization, at least 24 seafarers have been killed in 106 confirmed incidents. The Malta-flagged Safeen Prestige, attacked on March 4, is the only other vessel reported sunk during this period.
Maritime risk management group Vanguard reported that the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier Cape Dao was also reported to be sinking following an unsuccessful rescue attempt. One seafarer was killed when the Cape Dao was hit by a projectile on September 23 as it transited the Strait of Hormuz.