A container ship sank after striking a mine in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, amid a wave of attacks on shipping in the region and stalled talks between the US and Iran. More than 20 oil tankers and other vessels have been attacked this month.
The Singapore-registered container ship GFS Pride caught fire and later sank, with all 21 crew members rescued, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
Photos and videos shared on social media show smoke rising from the listing vessel and dozens of shipping containers floating in the water.
A second Singapore-registered vessel, the GFS Giselle, was struck the same day, sustaining hull damage. It managed to leave the area under its own power, with no injuries reported among the crew.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said the GFS Pride, which was carrying more than 2,500 containers, sank while sailing along what it described as an “unauthorized and dangerous route.”
“Local vessels and fishermen must exercise the utmost safety when navigating this route so they do not collide with containers floating on the water,” the IRGC Navy said in a statement carried by Press TV.
BREAKING: Iran announces a large UAE-owned container ship carrying more than 2,500 containers hit a naval mine, exploded and sank this morning in the US-backed southern Omani corridor of the Strait of Hormuz. It is the first vessel sunk by a mine in the war. Initial reports indicate the cargo ship was carrying luxury perfumes and iPhones from Dubai.
Top Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reiterated earlier this month that Iran would not reopen the vital waterway, which normally handles around a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil and LNG trade, until the US accepts Tehran’s terms. The conditions include lifting sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian funds.
🇮🇷 Footage from the 2,500-container ship that was attacked and sunk in the Strait of Hormuz. Now you know why the insurance rates are so high... Writer: Samuel https://t.co/YSNxr87mT1
The US Navy said it had guided more than 1,600 vessels through the Strait of Hormuz between May and mid-September along routes that Iran considers illegal.
On Saturday, US forces struck and disabled the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Molica, which US Central Command (CENTCOM) said had attempted to violate the blockade of Iranian ports.
U.S. Forces Disable Cargo Vessel Attempting to Violate Blockade TAMPA, Fla. — U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman, Oct. 10, after the ship’s crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to run the ongoing naval blockade against Iran. A U.S. military fighter jet struck the stern of Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica (also known as the “Arika Sun”) with a precision munition, fully disabling the ship’s propulsion without harming the crew. The large cargo vessel was attempting to transit regional waters after having previously departed an Iranian port. CENTCOM forces resumed America’s blockade against all ships entering or departing Iranian ports on July 14. Four commercial vessels have been disabled and 135 ships have been turned around during three months of strict enforcement. Additionally, U.S. forces have destroyed 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' multibillion-dollar shadow network over the same period. All mariners are advised to heed blockade warnings from CENTCOM forces. Crews should also continue to monitor Notice to Mariners broadcasts and contact U.S. naval forces on bridge-to-bridge channel 16 when operating in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz approaches.
On Wednesday, CENTCOM released a video showing the destruction of a sailing vessel that it claimed had been “conducting surveillance and targeting the US Navy ships” on behalf of Iran.
On Oct. 6, U.S. forces destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow conducting surveillance and targeting U.S. Navy ships in the Gulf of Oman. Over the past seven months, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has continued to indiscriminately target thousands of civilian mariners transiting regional waters in addition to U.S. Navy warships. Crew members were safely removed prior to destruction of the dhow. Repatriation efforts are ongoing.
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