Asiaupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 26 May 2021UKMTO Reports Vessel Fire Near Khasab After Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Cite Mines
4 Other4 West Asian3 Western Mainstream3 Other source typesPhoto: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center / US federal government, Public domain · Cropped for layout
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UKMTO reports a vessel on fire in Strait of Hormuz near Khasab, Oman. IRGC claims three oil tankers hit mines; CENTCOM says no commercial vessels hit.
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14 outlets told this the same way.
Fire Near Khasab
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a fire aboard a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz near the coast of Oman, with the incident occurring at 03:00 GMT on Thursday and about 9 nautical miles (17 km) north of Khasab. The master of a third-party vessel reported seeing the vessel on fire, while UKMTO said the status of the crew remained unknown and no damage assessment or environmental impact report had been received so far.
Iranian state media Tasnim reported that the incident occurred in the northern sea area near Khasab, Oman, and the report described the Strait of Hormuz as facing restrictions and difficulties for vessel traffic. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps claimed that “three violating oil tankers exploded and caught fire after striking mines” while attempting to pass through an “unauthorised southern route of the Strait of Hormuz,” and the IRGC said the vessels had “switched off all their radar and navigation systems.”
Competing Mine Claims
Iran’s armed forces said the Strait of Hormuz remained closed to vessels attempting to cross restricted areas without coordination, and the Iranian Navy said an oil tanker caught fire and became immobilized after striking naval mines in a restricted area east of the Strait of Hormuz. Hossein Mohebi, the spokesman for the IRGC, challenged US claims by posting on X: “Prove your Hormuz mine-clearing claim with independent evidence, not statements!”
UKMTO said it received a report of a ship on fire and did not give details on the cause of the blaze or any casualties, while the IRGC said three tankers had exploded and caught fire in the past 24 hours after hitting sea mines. The British maritime agency UKMTO said regional authorities identified the vessel as a dhow and added that the crew had been safely evacuated, while the IRGC also claimed it had captured a US reconnaissance drone during an offensive operation in the western Strait of Hormuz.
Shipping Risk and Fallout
UKMTO advised vessels to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO as authorities investigated the reported fire near Khasab. The IRGC warned shipowners and crews against navigating what it described as an “unauthorised” southern route and said the route “is mined,” while the IRGC also urged vessels not to rely on what it described as misleading information from US Central Command (CENTCOM) in cyberspace.
International Maritime Organization (IMO) data cited in the coverage put the number of confirmed incidents at 121 and confirmed seafarer fatalities at 24 as of 27 October 2026. The Maritime Executive said UKMTO reported an apparent attack on a tanker near the Musandam Peninsula at about 0300 hours UTC, and it quoted Vanguard Tech that the vessel had been hit by a projectile and was “mostly submerged,” while UKMTO said the status of the crew was unknown.
