TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – A Thai cargo ship was attacked from the air in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire. Approximately 20 crew members were rescued by the Royal Thai Navy, as stated by Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaiphan, a representative of the Royal Thai Navy, on Wednesday, as reported by CNA.
“The Thai cargo ship Mayuree Naree, weighing 30,000 tons, was attacked from the air on Wednesday morning after leaving the Khalifa port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The attack occurred as the ship crossed the Strait of Hormuz and a huge fire occurred at the stern of the ship,” Rattanachaiphan told reporters.
Photos shared by the Royal Thai Navy showed thick black smoke billowing from the hull and upper structure of the Thailand-registered ship Mayuree Naree, with life rafts floating on the water.
After receiving information about the attack through international naval channels, the Thai Navy’s Operations Center immediately contacted the Omani Navy and the Thai Embassy in Oman to conduct search and rescue operations.
“So far, the Oman Navy has rescued 20 of the 23 sailors from the ship. The rescue operation for the remaining three people is still ongoing,” he said.
The twenty Thai ship crew members who were rescued have been brought ashore in Oman to ensure their well-being.
The Thai Ministry of Transport said the ship’s crew had left the ship using lifeboats and were rescued by the Omani Navy. It was reported that the explosion occurred at the ship’s stern, causing a fire in the engine room, where the three crew members worked.
The Thai Navy stated that Precious Shipping, a Thai transportation company, owns the ship.
The company stated that they are working with the relevant authorities to rescue the three crew members, while the 20 rescued crew members have been safely evacuated and are now on land in Oman.
They added that the ship was hit by two projectiles.
Iran has launched attacks on its oil-exporting neighboring countries, threatening navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and plunging the global energy economy into crisis.
This is in response to sudden attacks by the United States and Israel since February 28, which killed more than 1,300 civilians, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family.
It is unclear whether the incident is one of the three commercial ships previously reported by the UK Maritime Trade Operations as being attacked in the Gulf on Wednesday.
Ship tracking sites show the Mayuree Naree off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, moving slowly at just over one knot.
The 178-meter-long, 30,000-ton ship is reportedly headed for Kandla, India.
Read: Iran: Cargo Vessels Hit by Projectiles in Strait of Hormuz
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