Punjab Newsline | Dubai
A ship has reportedly been seized near the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and taken toward Iran, raising fresh security concerns in the strategically sensitive Gulf region.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British maritime security agency, confirmed the incident stating that the vessel was anchored about 38 nautical miles (around 70 km) northeast of Fujairah port when unidentified individuals took control of it. The ship was later moved toward Iranian territorial waters.
However, the name and ownership of the vessel have not yet been officially confirmed, and no group has claimed responsibility for the seizure so far.
Meanwhile, Indian authorities reported a separate maritime incident near the coast of Oman, where an Indian-flagged cargo vessel was attacked, resulting in a fire onboard. The ship, which was traveling from Somalia to Sharjah in the UAE, later sank.
All 14 Indian crew members aboard were safely rescued by the Omani coast guard.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs termed the incident “unacceptable” and strongly condemned attacks on civilian merchant vessels, calling for greater safety and security of international shipping routes in the region.
