Deadly oil tanker attack in Arabian Sea
Two European crew members are reported to have been killed in an attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea.
Zodiac Maritime, the London-based company that operates the tanker, said a British and a Romanian citizen had died in the attack late on Thursday.
A spokesperson for the UK government confirmed that a British national had been killed and said it was trying to “urgently establish the facts”.
Details of the attack remain unclear.
“Our thoughts are with the loved ones of a British national who has died following an incident on a tanker off the coast of Oman,” the statement said.
It added that vessels “must be allowed to navigate freely in accordance with international law”.
In a statement shared on social media on Friday, Zodiac Maritime announced the two deaths with “profound sadness”. It said no other injuries had been reported.
The company, which belongs to Israeli shipping magnate Eyal Ofer, said it was working to establish what had happened.
It added that the vessel was now “sailing under the control of her crew” and heading to a safe location with a US naval escort.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) naval authority said it was investigating the incident, which occurred near the Omani island of Masirah, and confirmed that “coalition forces” were assisting the vessel.
The tanker had been travelling in the northern Indian Ocean to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
According to Zodiac Maritime, it had no cargo on board at the time of the incident.
