Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has claimed that a supertanker carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil struck a sea mine while attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz through what it described as an unauthorised route.
The incident triggered a massive explosion and a major fire aboard the vessel, the IRGC said in a statement carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
According to the IRGC Navy, the tanker had switched off its tracking and radar systems before attempting to cross the strategic waterway through what it alleged was a deceptive manoeuvre supported by the US military.
Warning against unauthorised passage, the IRGC Navy declared that the Strait of Hormuz remained closed and cautioned vessels against violating Iran’s regulations.
It also warned that ships attempting to transit the strait while relying on US military support would face serious consequences.
The claims could not be independently verified, and no further details about the tanker’s identity, the extent of the damage or possible casualties were immediately available.
Source: AL Jazeera