Container Ship Sinks in Strait of Hormuz After Projectile Strike
All 21 crew members of the Singapore-flagged GFS Pride were safely evacuated following the incident.
A Singapore-flagged container ship, the GFS Pride, has sunk in the Strait of Hormuz after being struck by an unknown projectile, according to Singaporean maritime authorities. All 21 crew members were evacuated safely on Tuesday after the attack caused damage and a fire, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore stated.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards reported that a ship sank after hitting naval mines while traversing an "unauthorised" route in the Strait of Hormuz. They released images that appeared to show smoke billowing from a container vessel that was partially submerged, with debris and its contents visible in the water.
The Pakistan Hydrographer has warned mariners that the GFS Pride sank approximately 7.4 kilometers (4 nautical miles) northwest of Ras al-Sheikh Masud, located on Oman's Musandam Peninsula.
Earlier on Wednesday, another Singapore-flagged vessel, the GFS Giselle, sustained hull damage from a projectile strike but managed to reach a safe anchorage with its 22 crew members unharmed. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency also reported that two unnamed container ships experienced minor damage after being hit by unknown projectiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz between 16:40 and 17:00 GMT on Tuesday, and were able to continue their journeys.
Merchant vessels have faced repeated attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and other parts of the Middle East since February, amid ongoing regional tensions. According to the UN's International Maritime Organization, at least 24 seafarers have been killed in 106 confirmed incidents.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy shipments, has experienced increased maritime incidents. The Malta-flagged container ship Safeen Prestige is the only other vessel reported to have sunk in the area during this period, having been attacked near Oman on March 4.
Maritime risk management group Vanguard noted that on September 23, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier Cape Dao was reported to be sinking after an attempted rescue following a projectile strike that killed one seafarer. The attack occurred as the vessel transited the Strait of Hormuz northeast of Khasab, Oman.