Armed security on a tanker near Socotra turned away a five-person small craft within 100 metres of the vessel
World’s most strategic oil chokepoint Strait of Hormuz. PHOTO: REUTERS
A product tanker sailing within 200 nautical miles west of the Yemeni Island of Socotra was approached by a small craft carrying five people, but turned away after the vessel’s armed security team was deployed, the UK maritime agency said on Saturday.
“The Master of a product tanker has reported that the vessel was approached by a small craft with 5 persons onboard, closest point of approach 100m.
“The vessel’s Armed Security Team were deployed, and the small craft altered course away from the reporting vessel,” the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre said on X.
No further details were immediately available. The development came after the UKMTO said Friday that it received a report of another incident involving a tanker located 98 nautical miles north of Socotra.
A cargo vessel was reportedly attacked by small boats west of Iran’s coastal city of Sirik, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on May 3.
The centre said the incident was reported approximately 11 nautical miles west of Sirik city, which overlooks the Strait of Hormuz.
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It said all crew were reported safe and no environmental impact was recorded. No details were given about the vessel’s cargo or the identity of those behind the attack.
Al Jazeera reported that the danger levels remain high across major West Asian waterways, as per UKMTO’s assessment, noting that the maritime traffic there remains “significantly reduced”. The assessment also revealed that the threat in the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea is still critical.
Anadolu Agency with additional input from Web Desk
