According to maritime security company Vanguard Tech, the bulk carrier Minoan Dignity, with a deadweight of around 77,000 tonnes, was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. The Liberia-flagged vessel was approximately five nautical miles off the coast of Oman when it was struck by an unidentified projectile. The vessel’s chief engineer was killed, Splash247 reports.
Two attempts to evacuate the crew by helicopter were unsuccessful. The Omani coast guard is also expected to join the rescue operation.
At the same time, Iranian state media reported that a UAE-owned tanker had been detained near Qeshm Island. Fars News did not identify the vessel or provide details about its cargo. The agency said that vessels seeking safe passage along the designated route must obtain special permission and pay for transit services. Iran had previously announced plans to introduce such fees.
The incidents occurred after the expiration of a 60-day agreement between Iran and the United States guaranteeing the free passage of commercial vessels through the strait.
Shipping analyst Lars Jensen said he sees little prospect of an immediate improvement in the situation. “With the now-defunct Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran having expired after 60 days, there is little to suggest that the situation will change in the near future,” Jensen wrote on LinkedIn.
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