Oil tanker struck off UAE's Ras Al-Khaimah, all crew reported safe

A ​vessel was hit ‌by an ​unidentified projectile about 14 nautical miles northwest of the UAE emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah ‌on Wednesday, causing a fire in its engine room, British maritime agencies said in reports published on Thursday.

All 22 crew members on ‌Liberia-flagged oil tanker, including 19 Indian nationals, were safely ‌evacuated, India's shipping minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said. The MT DOMINICA PROSPERITY was attacked while drifting off the port of Mina Saqr, Shipping Minister, Sonowal added ⁠in a post ​on X.

Firefighting ⁠efforts were under way at the time of the report, the United ⁠Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said. Maritime security firm Ambrey said the ​vessel was struck at the stern while leaving the Strait ⁠of Hormuz.

The tanker is owned by South Korea's Haut Brion 56 Ltd ⁠and operated ​by Sinokor Maritime Co Ltd, Athens-based maritime security firm MARISKS said. Attacks on shipping in the Gulf and around ⁠the Strait of Hormuz have increased in recent weeks. The strategic ⁠waterway carried nearly ⁠one-fifth of the world's crude oil before the US-Israel conflict with Iran.