EL7.AI
GeopoliticsMedium•13 November 2026•
3 min read

Tanker Struck by Projectile off Ras Al Khaimah on Nov. 11; Crew Evacuated Safely

Key Facts

1The incident occurred on Nov. 11, 2026, 14 nautical miles northwest of Ras Al Khaimah.
2All 22 crew members were evacuated safely, including 19 Indians.
3At least 10 ships were targeted in the first 10 days of November, following 37 attacks in October.
4The International Maritime Organization confirmed 133 incidents in the region and at least 25 seafarer deaths since late February.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile in its engine room 14 nautical miles northwest of Ras Al Khaimah on Nov. 11, 2026. The agency classified the report as verified, without attributing the strike to any party or identifying the type of projectile. It said the fire was still burning when it issued its report and firefighting efforts were ongoing. All crew members were evacuated safely, it added, with no reports of fatalities. The incident places navigational safety in Gulf waters among the operational risks facing maritime shipping in the region.

Reuters reported that the tanker was flying the Liberian flag and that all 22 crew members were evacuated safely, including 19 Indians. MARISKS data showed the vessel is owned by South Korea's Haut Brion 56 and operated by Sinokor Maritime. UKMTO's report did not assess damage to the vessel or engine room. It also did not say whether the fire had been extinguished after the alert was issued. These details remain tied to the Nov. 11 incident documented by maritime authorities and do not establish that a separate fire occurred on Nov. 13.

The incident comes amid a wave of maritime risks that escalated during November. Reuters said at least 10 ships were targeted in the first 10 days of the month, following 37 attacks in October, the highest monthly total since the conflict began, according to data from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The International Maritime Organization confirmed 133 incidents in the region from the start of the conflict in late February through Nov. 11, most of them attacks. At least 25 seafarers were killed in those incidents, the organization said, according to Reuters. These figures point to the widening threat facing ships and their crews in the region during that period.

The incidents also affected the coastal environment, with oil spills from damaged tankers reaching Oman's shores, Reuters reported. Satellite images showed oil slicks off the coasts of Oman and the UAE, according to the report. This adds an environmental dimension to the consequences of damage to ships, alongside the direct risks to crews and the continuity of shipping. In a separate development on Nov. 13, the Associated Press said Iran's Revolutionary Guard announced that a liquefied petroleum gas tanker had struck a mine while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The agency said it could not independently verify the claim, and no corresponding report had been issued by UKMTO at the time.