JAKARTA: Jakarta’s foreign ministry on Saturday (Mar 7) said that three Indonesian crew members were missing after a United Arab Emirates-flagged tugboat sank in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday (Mar 6). The ministry added that a search was underway by the local authorities. An explosion occurred on Musaffah 2, following which the vessel caught fire and sank in the passage, which is blocked by Iran amid war with the United States and Israel. The incident is under investigation by the local authorities, the statement added.
One Indonesian survivor is currently receiving burn treatment at a hospital in the city of Khasab, Oman. The other three Indonesians are still being searched for by the local authorities,” the ministry said Saturday.
Amid the escalating tension in West Asia, several vessels have been targeted while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has shut down the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any vessel attempting to pass could be targeted and set on fire, with several oil tankers being hit in recent days. However, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Thursday (Mar 5) said that the passage is closed to vessels from the United States, Israel, Europe and their Western allies. The Strait of Hormuz is the only maritime outlet for ports located in the Persian Gulf. Its blockage has significantly affected global energy supply, triggering a sharp rise in oil prices.
On February 28, the US and Israeli military launched strikes on Iran, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several other top Iranian officials. The operation was named ‘Epic Fury’ by the US and ‘Lion’s Roar’ by Israel. The attacks came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and ongoing talks over Iran’s nuclear program. In retaliation, Iran launched attacks on Israel and US military bases in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
Source: WION
