Middle East crisis: Iran confirms strike on Thai vessel in Strait of Hormuz; 3 crew members missing

Iran claimed responsibility for the strike on a Thai ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said that they fired at the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree bulk vessel in the strait, Reuters reported, quoting the Iranian news agency, Tasnim.

The Thailand transport ministry on Wednesday said that a Thai cargo ship was struck in the Strait of Hormuz. It further added that three out of the 23 crew members aboard had gone missing.

According to the ministry, the crew abandoned the vessel in a lifeboat after the incident and were later rescued by the Omani navy. Authorities said an explosion occurred at the stern of the ship, triggering a fire in the engine compartment where the three missing crew members had been working at the time.




Dramatic visuals from the damaged ship show smoke billowing from the damaged ship after it was struck.



Search and rescue operations were underway for the missing crew, the ministry said, adding that the cause of the attack and the origin of the projectiles were not immediately clear.

The vessel, Mayuree Naree Bangkok, was struck while sailing near the Oman waters. The offensive hit the ship near its stern. Images shared by the local news outlet, Thai Enquirer, show the damage done to the vessel. The shipping data from MarineTraffic showed the vessel had departed from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and was reportedly heading to India at the time.



Omani naval authorities confirmed that no deaths have been reported.

The Royal Thai Navy admiral, Thadawut Thatpitakkul, said that the Navy personnel stationed at Bahrain are in close coordination with the Omani authorities about the incident and the conditions of the crew members. They added that the source of the strike is still under investigation.The incident comes amid heightened tensions and security concerns in the Strait of Hormuz.



Shipping companies have increasingly raised alarms over the safety of commercial vessels navigating the narrow waterway as regional hostilities have intensified.

Recent weeks have seen multiple disruptions to maritime traffic in the region, with ships facing threats from missiles, drones and other projectiles linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States. Several international shipping firms have reportedly rerouted vessels or adopted additional security measures while transiting the Gulf.