Armed men storm an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman

Armed individuals in military attire boarded the St. Nikolas in the Gulf of Oman, raising security concerns in the region known for past incidents; the tanker, previously fined for transporting sanctioned Iranian oil, was en route from Iraq to Turkey.

According to a maritime risk management organization, armed individuals clad in “military-style” attire forcibly boarded an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday. This incident marks the latest in a series of events raising maritime security concerns in the region.

British company Ambrey said the Marshall Islands-flagged St. Nikolas was boarded at roughly 7:30 am (03:30 GMT), 50 nautical miles east of Sohar in Oman, and then traveled towards Bandar-e-Jask in Iran.

“The people covered the cameras on the vessel,” and a security guard “reported hearing unknown voices over the phone along with the master’s voice,” Ambrey stated. Lastly, they added that the armed suspects are reportedly wearing “military-style black uniforms with black masks.”

U.K. Maritime Trade Operations, a British maritime security organization, also reported the incident. Additionally, a maritime tracking service named Marine Traffic states that St. Nikolas was making its way to Turkey from the Iraqi port of Basra.

Ambrey said the recently renamed tanker was previously prosecuted and fined for carrying sanctioned Iranian oil, which was confiscated by U.S. authorities.

“Iran has previously taken action against those it has accused of cooperating with the US,” they added.

The Gulf of Oman, a key route for the oil industry that separates Oman and Iran, has witnessed a series of hijackings and attacks over the years, often involving Iran. Shipping in the resource-rich region is also on heightened alert following weeks of drone and missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

 Source: AFP