BANGKOK — A Thai-registered cargo ship was among three commercial vessels attacked after passing the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, with three Thai crew members now missing following the strike, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) and Thai authorities.

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The British maritime security body reported that one cargo vessel caught fire after being struck by an unidentified object about 11 nautical miles off the coast of Oman. Crew members began evacuating and requested assistance. In its latest update, UKMTO reported that the fire had been extinguished and some crew members remain on board.

Thai Vessel Details

According to maritime security firm Vanguard Tech, the vessel involved was the ‘Mayuree Naree’, a Thai-flagged bulk carrier owned by Bangkok-based Precious Shipping . The ship was struck while sailing through the Strait en route from Khalifa Port in the United Arab Emirates .

A total of 23 Thai crew members were on board at the time of the incident. Initial reports said about 20 crew members abandoned ship and were rescued by the Royal Navy of Oman, while three others remained behind or were unaccounted for.

Thai authorities later confirmed that 20 crew members have been rescued and brought ashore in Khasab, Oman, but efforts continue to locate the remaining three, who are believed to be trapped in the engine room . Precious Shipping said in a statement that the vessel was struck by “two projectiles of unknown origin,” causing a fire and damaging the engine room.

Deputy spokesperson for Thailand’s Foreign Ministry, Panidone Pachimsawat, said the embassy had coordinated with Oman’s Foreign Ministry to facilitate urgent assistance and continue the search for the missing crew members.

Thai cargo ship attacked in the Strait of Hormuz

Photos shared by the Royal Thai Navy showed heavy black smoke billowing from the hull and superstructure of the Thai-registered Mayuree Naree, with life rafts floating in the water.

The vessel "was attacked while transiting the… pic.twitter.com/UFNAqXf2u9

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Two Other Vessels Attacked

Two other vessels were also reported to have been attacked west of the United Arab Emirates on the same day.

One cargo ship sustained damage about 25 nautical miles northwest of Ras Al Khaimah, UKMTO reported, with all crew members reported safe . Vanguard Tech identified the vessel as ‘One Majesty’, a Japan-flagged container ship owned by Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and operated as part of the Ocean Network Express (ONE) fleet . The vessel suffered a 10-centimetre hole above the waterline and was heading toward a safe anchorage, with all crew safe and the ship remaining operational.

A third vessel, the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier ‘Star Gwyneth’, was struck by another suspect object about 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai . UKMTO said the crew remain safe and there were no environmental impacts. The projectile damaged the hull in the hold area while the vessel was at anchor, with no injuries reported.

Escalating Maritime Conflict

The attacks on three commercial vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz occurred after 72 days without reported incidents . The lull had followed escalating tensions and fighting in the Middle East.

Since the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran escalated on February 28, at least 14 maritime incidents have been reported , leaving at least seven crew members dead and several others seriously injured.

Iran has previously threatened to close the strategic waterway and attack ships attempting to pass through it . The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime routes, linking the Persian Gulf to global markets and carrying around 20 million barrels of oil daily, accounting for about one-fifth of global oil supply.

Shipping traffic through the strait has dropped sharply since the conflict began, with tanker traffic down by more than 80 percent and approximately 150 tankers anchored in open waters waiting for conditions to stabilize . The disruption has already pushed oil prices higher.

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French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the formation of a European-led naval coalition to escort commercial vessels through the waterway, deploying the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle along with eight frigates and two amphibious helicopter carriers.

-Thailand News (TN)