Nicosia, Cyprus. A Cyprus-flagged container ship was damaged and one crew member was reported missing after what US Central Command described as an attack by Iranian forces while the vessel was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The Cypriot government said the Shipping Deputy Ministry was investigating the incident and had contacted the ship’s management company.
US response
US Central Command said its forces launched a third round of strikes against Iran early on Sunday after Islamic Revolutionary Guard forces “blatantly attacked” the M/V GFS Galaxy.
It said a civilian crew member was missing and that the vessel could not continue its journey because of an onboard fire and significant damage to its engine room.
Central Command said Iran had failed to adhere to an agreement signed last month and that the United States would continue strikes aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships transiting the strait. It said the strikes were carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump.
Cypriot investigation
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis told the Cyprus News Agency that authorities were taking appropriate action and closely monitoring developments.
He said the ship’s crew had been evacuated to a neighbouring country, except for the missing crew member, and confirmed that none of the crew were Cypriot nationals. India’s foreign ministry later confirmed that the missing crew member was an Indian national.
Letymbiotis said passage through the Strait of Hormuz was particularly difficult for all vessels, regardless of flag, especially amid the previous night’s military operations.
Strait closure
Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed on Sunday amid ongoing US strikes against its facilities.
The strait lies between Iran’s southern coast and Oman’s northernmost point and provides the only seaborne access between the Persian Gulf and the open ocean.