Thai cargo ship en route to India hit in strait of Hormuz: 20 Rescued, 3 missing
Thai bulk carrier Mayuree Naree attacked in Strait of Hormuz en route to India's Kandla port. 20 crew rescued, 3 missing after projectile hit sparks fire. Omani navy leads rescue efforts
Bangkok (The Uttam Hindu): A Thai cargo ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday amid the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East. The Royal Thai Navy released photos and said 20 crew members had been rescued.
Images showed heavy black smoke billowing from the Thai-registered Mayuri Nari, and life rafts floating in the water. The navy said in a statement that the ship was "attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz" after leaving Khalifa Port in the United Arab Emirates.
He added, "The specific details and cause of the attack are still under investigation." The Omani Navy rescued 20 sailors and "efforts are currently underway to rescue the remaining three crew members." According to maritime agencies and security sources, the ship was hit by a projectile. The projectile, which was operating near Oman, prompted the Thai rescue operation.
The Thai-flagged bulk carrier Mayuri Nari was traveling about 11 nautical miles (about 18 km) north of Oman when it was attacked, according to officials. They said the carrier, measuring 178 meters long and weighing 30,000 tons, was headed to Kandla in India. The Thai Navy said it is owned by Precious Shipping, a Thai transport company. Iran has stepped up attacks on its oil-exporting neighbors, threatening shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and upending the global energy economy.
It was not immediately clear whether the incident involved one of three commercial vessels that the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre had earlier said were attacked in the Gulf on Wednesday. Ship-tracking websites showed the Mayuri Nari moving slowly at a speed of just over one knot in the Strait of Hormuz near the Omani coast.