On a Wednesday night in the northern Persian Gulf, two fuel tankers riding at anchor off the Iraqi city of Basra were engulfed in fire, the kind of sudden violence that reminds a restless region how fragile its arteries of energy truly are. Iraqi officials say explosive-laden boats struck the vessels near terminals that carry much of the country's oil, and early investigators have pointed toward Iranian craft, though no final judgment has been made. At least one person is dead, and the accounts of how many crew were pulled from the water and flames still disagree, while the wider waters have a
US-Owned Tanker SafeSea Vishnu Set Ablaze in Persian Gulf Near Basra in Suspected Iranian Boat Attack
At least one person was killed, and dozens of crew members were rescued from the burning vessels, according to Iraqi authorities.
Two tankers, anchored side by side, burning in one of the world's busiest corridors
On a Wednesday night in the northern Persian Gulf, two fuel tankers riding at anchor off the Iraqi city of Basra were engulfed in fire, the kind of sudden violence that reminds a restless region how fragile its arteries of energy truly are. Iraqi officials say explosive-laden boats struck the vessels near terminals that carry much of the country's oil, and early investigators have pointed toward Iranian craft, though no final judgment has been made. At least one person is dead, and the accounts of how many crew were pulled from the water and flames still disagree, while the wider waters have already been slowed by tension around the Strait of Hormuz. What remains is a question of who acted, how many were lost, and whether the sea lanes of the world will grow more cautious still.
Late on Wednesday, two fuel tankers lay anchored side by side in the northern Persian Gulf, off the coast of Basra, when fire suddenly tore through both. Iraqi officials said the ships had been struck by boats packed with explosives, in waters close to some of the country's most important oil export terminals. Vessel-tracking data showed the ships together when the blaze began, and images from the scene showed flames racing across the decks and onto the water, with black smoke climbing high into the night.
The human cost is still unsettled. Iraqi authorities report at least one death, and rescue teams pulled crew from the burning vessels, though accounts disagree on whether the number was 25 or 38. Officials said all those rescued were foreign nationals, and details of their injuries and the damage to the ships have not yet been made clear.
Who carried out the attack remains open. An initial investigation by Iraqi security authorities pointed to Iranian boats, according to officials who spoke to Reuters, but no final determination has been issued. The attack comes amid already rising regional tension and disrupted traffic through the nearby Strait of Hormuz. Watchers will now look for a formal attribution, a clearer accounting of the dead and rescued, and whether the strike changes insurance costs and the routes ships choose across the Gulf.
Late on Wednesday, two fuel tankers lay anchored side by side in the northern Persian Gulf, off the southern coast of Basra, Iraq, when fire broke out aboard both. Iraqi officials said the ships had been hit by boats packed with explosives, in waters close to some of the country's most important oil export terminals.
The vessels were the Maltese-flagged Zefyros and the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu. Vessel-tracking data showed them anchored alongside each other when the blaze began. Images and video circulating online showed a large fire at sea, with flames spreading across the ships and onto the surrounding water and thick black smoke climbing high above the surface. Early Iraqi media reports placed the fire near the Port of Umm Qasr in the south of the country.
The human toll is not yet settled. Iraqi authorities said at least one person was killed. Rescue teams pulled crew members from the burning ships, but the figures conflict: one account of the rescue puts the number at 38, while the summary of the reporting cites 25. Farhan al-Fartousi, director general of the Iraqi Ports Company, told CNN that all of those rescued were foreign nationals. He did not immediately describe their injuries or the extent of damage to the ships.
Who carried out the attack is also unresolved. Officials told Reuters that an initial investigation by Iraqi security authorities pointed to explosive-laden Iranian boats. Authorities have not issued a final determination.
The Safesea Vishnu is a crude oil tanker built in 2007, of the Panamax/LR1 class. It is about 228.6 meters long and 32.57 meters wide, with a deadweight capacity of roughly 73,970 metric tons. Its IMO number is 9327009 and its MMSI is 538009517. Its registered owner is the US-based Safesea Transport Inc., of Piscataway, New Jersey. Tracking data shows the ship had recently been working in the Persian Gulf and was heading for Khor Al Zubair Port in Iraq, with its latest recorded route listed as KAZ OPL, an offshore loading point near the Iraqi coast. The Zefyros is owned by a company based in Greece.
The attack came as tensions in the region were already rising and global oil shipping was being disrupted. Recent security threats have slowed tanker traffic through the nearby Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for the world's energy supplies.
What to watch next is a formal attribution from Iraqi authorities, a clearer accounting of the dead and rescued, and whether the strike affects tanker insurance and the routes ships choose in the Gulf.
Citações Notáveis
All of the rescued crew were foreign nationals.— Farhan al-Fartousi, director general of the Iraqi Ports Company, to CNN
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