Cargo ship sinks after collision near Strait of Hormuz

A cargo ship sank after colliding with another vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported on Tuesday, July 14.

According to the agency, the collision caused the cargo ship to take on water, prompting an emergency evacuation. Iranian authorities said all 23 crew members were rescued and taken to Qeshm Island, off the country’s southern coast.

Fars did not identify the other vessel involved or provide details about the circumstances surrounding the collision.

The Iranian news agency released footage showing the ship sinking. The name Luni can be seen on the vessel’s hull.

MarineTraffic data showed that a ship of the same name, sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, had been operating in the area. The cargo vessel had departed India and was bound for a port in the United Arab Emirates.

Its last recorded position, at 5 a.m. Brasília time, or 0800 GMT, placed the vessel near the Strait of Hormuz after it entered the area from the Gulf of Oman.

The incident comes amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran in the region.

The sinking occurred on the same day that the United States launched a new round of strikes against Iran and reinstated a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports and coastal areas.

U.S. forces have carried out attacks on targets along Iran’s coast in recent days, with Washington saying the operations are intended to reduce Tehran’s ability to strike commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian government, meanwhile, says it has intercepted ships that Tehran claims were navigating the area without Iranian authorization or oversight.

Also on Tuesday, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said the Strait of Hormuz was a matter of Iranian national security and that the country would exercise sovereignty over the waterway “whatever the cost.”

Illustrative image generated using artificial intelligence

Source: G1

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