Iran and the United States have given different explanations for an incident involving the Panama-flagged oil tanker El Gaia near the coast of Oman.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that the tanker struck a naval mine while travelling through a restricted area near Oman’s coast. Iranian authorities said the incident caused the vessel to catch fire and warned ships against using what they described as an illegal passage.
However, the US Central Command gave a different account of what happened to the tanker. According to the US military, El Gaia was first hit by an Iranian missile last month. The attack reportedly left the vessel unable to operate normally.
The US Central Command further claimed that the tanker was attacked again by an Iranian drone over the weekend while it was located near Oman. The two accounts have created uncertainty over the exact circumstances surrounding the vessel’s damage.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the safety of commercial shipping in waters around Oman and the wider Gulf region. The area is an important route for international oil and other commercial shipments, making attacks or accidents involving large vessels a major concern for global trade.
India has also been closely monitoring the situation because Indian nationals were among the crew members aboard El Gaia. Indian authorities said 14 Indian citizens were working on the vessel. One Indian seafarer remains missing, while efforts to determine the person’s whereabouts continue.
The incident has once again highlighted the risks faced by commercial ships operating in the region amid rising military tensions. Conflicting statements from Iran and the United States have also added to concerns over the security of important shipping routes.
Authorities are expected to continue investigating the incident and the circumstances surrounding the tanker. The safety of crew members and commercial vessels remains a major concern as tensions continue in the region.