Update: Iran seized the Liberian-flagged, British-operated vessel, Mesdar in the Strait of Hormuz, about an hour after the first vessel, British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, was seized. The owner of the Mesdar said the ship was briefly boarded by armed guards before being allowed to go. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency tweeted on July 19 that the Mesdar had left Iran’s territorial waters.
Iran has said that it has seized a British oil tanker, according to news reports on July 19.
The Islamic regime’s Revolutionary Guards said it seized the tanker, the Stena Impero, which went off course and went into Iranian territorial waters, the Guardian reported.
The report said it was traveling near the Strait of Hormuz.
The owners of the ship said in a statement that it was “approached by unidentified small crafts and a helicopter during transit of the Strait of Hormuz while the vessel was in international waters,” according to the report.
“We are presently unable to contact the vessel which is now heading north towards Iran,” the owners, Stena Bulk, and its manager, Northern Marine, added.
NEW: A #UK-flagged oil tanker, the “Stena Impero,” has ‘gone dark’ after diverting towards #Iran waters amid a “hostile action” by #IRGC elements.
Sources say the vessel now appears to be headed towards an #IRGC facility in Qeshm, #Iran.
Emergency #UK security meeting underway. pic.twitter.com/zqjkvwJTiR
— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) July 19, 2019
Iran also said that it seized the vessel “at the request of Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Organization when passing through the Strait of Hormuz, for failing to respect international maritime rules,” reported state-run PressTV.
Britain said it was urgently seeking further information after reports that a British-flagged tanker had taken a turn into Iranian waters.
“We are urgently seeking further information and assessing the situation following reports of an incident in the Gulf,” a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said on Friday.
Here is Stena Bulk’s full statement:
Stena Bulk and Northern Marine Management can confirm that at approximately 1600 BST on 19th July UK registered vessel Stena Impero (built 2018, 49,683 DWT) was approached by unidentified small crafts and a helicopter during transit of the Strait of Hormuz while the vessel was in international waters. We are presently unable to contact the vessel which is now heading north towards Iran.
There are 23 seafarers aboard. There have been no reported injuries and their safety is of primary concern to both owners and managers. The priority of both vessel owner Stena Bulk and ship manager Northern Marine Management is the safety and welfare of the crew.
Northern Marine Management has not been able to establish contact directly with the vessel since it was notified of the incident at approximately 1600 Today, 19th July 2019.
We are in close contact with UK government authorities.
Drone Taken Down
Just a day before, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. Navy took down an Iranian drone near the Strait of Hormuz, amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.
“The Boxer took defensive action against an Iranian drone, which had closed into a near distance, approximately 1,000 yards,” Trump said July 18 about the incident in the strait that lies between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
The president was referring to the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship.
Reuters contributed to this report.
From The Epoch Times
