Ras Laffan, Qatar. A tanker off Qatar is carrying an unexploded projectile lodged in its engine room after being hit by two projectiles, one of which caused a fire that has since been extinguished, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Wednesday.
Incident location and damage
UKMTO said the vessel was struck about 17 nautical miles north of Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial complex, sustaining damage above the waterline.
Crew safety and environmental impact
The crew were reported safe and no environmental impact has been recorded, UKMTO said.
Investigation into projectile source
UKMTO said it could not confirm the source of the projectiles and that investigations were ongoing.
Regional security context
The incident is the latest in a string of attacks on commercial shipping in Gulf waters as the US-Israel conflict with Iran intensifies.
Related incidents
On Tuesday, Kuwait reported that one of its fully loaded oil tankers had been targeted off Dubai, triggering a fire, while maritime authorities have recorded multiple further security incidents affecting vessels in the region in recent days.
What measures will be taken to improve the safety of commercial shipping in Gulf waters?
