Kuwaiti tanker Al Dasma struck by projectile 11 nautical miles west of Bukha
Key Facts
The Kuwaiti oil tanker Al Dasma was struck by an unknown projectile 11 nautical miles west of Bukha, Oman, sparking a fire aboard the vessel that was later extinguished, according to Seatrade Maritime. The maritime publication cited maritime security firm Vanguard Tech as saying the vessel belonged to Kuwait Oil Tanker Company. The report put the time of the strike at 01:45 UTC on 21 October, the date it gave for the incident. Seatrade Maritime described the vessel as an Aframax tanker and said the fire that followed the projectile strike had been extinguished. On the condition of those aboard, the Syrian Arab News Agency, SANA, cited the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations as saying all crew members of the tanker struck near Bukha were safe. The agency added in its statement that no signs of environmental pollution had been detected as of its release.
In the context of attacks on oil tankers, the Associated Press cited Iranian television as claiming that 7 tankers had been damaged and caught fire overnight, in a report published on Thursday. According to the Iranian account, the fires broke out after the tankers were targeted or struck naval mines. Iranian television did not identify the flags of the vessels covered by its announcement or provide details of possible injuries among their crews. In the month before the Al Dasma incident, the British military announced that another tanker had been struck while entering the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Associated Press. The military said at the time that an "unknown projectile" had struck the tanker and that 2 crew members were injured in the incident, which occurred on Monday. In the oil market, Investing reported that Brent futures rose 2.8% to $111.84 a barrel during Thursday's session, as of 12:47 GMT. The rise in futures came amid broader concerns over supply disruptions and renewed fighting, according to the website.
On the diplomatic front, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi linked opening the Strait of Hormuz to everyone to reaching an agreement or understanding on it, according to an interview reported by The National on 21 October. Araghchi said: "Until an agreement or understanding is reached on this strait, it will not be open to everyone." The Iranian minister thus made an understanding on the waterway a condition of his stated position on making it accessible to all ships. In the same interview, he said indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States had continued through mediators. He identified Pakistan and Qatar as the mediators in these contacts, alongside his position linking the future opening of the strait to reaching an understanding on it.