Iranupdated 52m ago2 min read
IRGC Navy Says GFS Pride Sinks After Mine Strike South of Strait of Hormuz
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Singapore-flagged GFS Pride sank south of Hormuz after striking a naval mine and catching fire. The vessel was carrying more than 2,500 containers and all crew were evacuated safely.
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GFS Pride sinks
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said the Singapore-flagged container carrier GFS Pride sank in waters south of the Strait of Hormuz after hitting a naval mine and catching fire. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said all 21 crew members were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported after the attack on Tuesday, which caused damage and a fire.
The IRGC Navy said the vessel attempted to cross an “unauthorised and high-risk route” through the strait before striking the mine and catching a severe fire after the explosion. The Hydrographer of Pakistan warned mariners that GFS Pride had sunk 4 nautical miles (7.4km) north-west of Ras al-Sheikh Masud in Oman's Musandam Peninsula.
Competing explanations
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a ship hit naval mines and sank while passing through what they called an “unauthorised” route in the Strait of Hormuz. Singapore’s maritime authority said, in a statement, that “Such attacks are unprovoked, unjustifiable, and a breach of international law.”
UK Maritime Trade Operations said two unnamed container ships reported being struck by unknown projectiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz between 16:40 and 17:00 GMT on Tuesday, and both vessels sustained minor damage. Marisks said Iran’s claims were consistent with an ongoing psychological operations campaign aimed at generating fear, increasing uncertainty and discouraging commercial shipping in Hormuz.
Wider shipping fallout
Merchant vessels have come under repeated attack in the Strait of Hormuz and elsewhere in the Middle East since the US and Israel's war with Iran began in February. At least 24 seafarers have been killed in 106 confirmed incidents, according to the UN's International Maritime Organization.
The sharp rise in Iranian attacks on shipping since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran was aimed at frustrating Donald Trump’s efforts to bring down fuel prices before the US midterm elections on 3 November. The US military has been guiding ships through the waterway on a route nearer to Oman’s coast, while UK Maritime Trade Operations reported at least five incidents including drone strikes in the previous 48 hours targeting tankers and other commercial ships around the Hormuz area.