Crew member killed as ship targeted near Strait of Hormuz: Oman

Oman's Maritime Security Center announced Wednesday that one crew member died and 27 were evacuated after the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged commercial vessel CAPE DAO was targeted off the country's Musandam Governorate overlooking the Strait of Hormuz. The Royal Navy of Oman coordinated the rescue operation with relevant authorities after the ship was struck 2.5 nautical miles from the governorate's coast, according to the center's statement on X. “Twenty-seven crew members were evacuated and provided with the necessary medical care after the vessel was targeted 2.5 nautical miles off Musandam Governorate,” the center said.

Engine room fire kills crewman

The attack ignited a fire in the vessel's engine room that killed one crew member, the center added. Hours earlier, the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that a cargo vessel had been struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the ship adrift with flames on board. UKMTO did not identify the party responsible for the strike.

Strait of Hormuz tensions

Oman's Musandam Governorate sits along the southern approach to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical chokepoints for energy shipments and global trade. Shipping through the waterway has faced severe disruptions since late February, when war broke out between Iran on one side and the US and Israel on the other. Commercial vessels have come under repeated attack as Iran and the US-Israeli alliance trade threats over the passage, which handles a significant portion of the world's oil supply.