From the Red Sea – archive
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The British Maritime Trade Operations Authority says the vessel, which had boarded people east of the Omani state of Sohar, diverted its direction towards Iranian territorial waters and communications with it were cut.
Al Arabiya.net, agencies
Published on: January 11, 2024: 1.06pm GST Last updated: January 11, 2024: 2.31pm GST
The British Maritime Trade Operations Authority said on Thursday, citing CSO, that the vessel carrying people east of the Omani state of Sohar diverted its direction towards Iranian territorial waters and communications with it were cut, after having been informed of a maritime instability incident 50 nautical miles east of Sohar, Oman. .
An Empire Navigation spokeswoman said the company lost contact with a ship sailing near Sohar, bound for a Turkish port, adding that the vessel was carrying a cargo of 145,000 tonnes of oil loaded in Basra, Iraq.
The spokesperson added that the ship’s crew is made up of 19 people, including one Greek and 18 Filipinos, underlining that the company has activated an emergency plan to inform all relevant authorities.
Earlier, the British Maritime Trade Operations Authority said it had received a report of unauthorized people boarding a vessel at the same coordinates as where the incident occurred off Oman. It said it could not make further contact with the vessel at this time.
A memo from Embry states that a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker was boarded by 4-5 armed individuals approximately 50 miles east of Sohar, Sultanate of Oman. He confirmed that the alleged militants wore black uniforms resembling military uniforms and black masks. The memorandum added that the vessel had previously been accused of carrying sanctioned Iranian oil and had been confiscated and fined by America.
This comes just hours after the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council calling for an “immediate” cessation of Houthi attacks against ships in the Red Sea and also calling on all countries to respect the arms embargo imposed on Yemeni rebels. .
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The British authority said on platform “X”: “At approximately 03.30 UTC, the ship’s security officer reported hearing unknown voices on the telephone (on board the ship)… There is no possibility of further communications with the vessel at the time, and authorities are investigating the matter.” “. From time to time, the Authority provides data on the receipt of similar reports of suspicious maritime activity.
Several ships in the Red Sea have been attacked by Yemen’s Houthi group, attacks the group says are a response to Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip.
The resolution, drawn up by the United States and Japan and adopted by the Council with a majority of 11 members and 4 abstentions, “calls for the Houthis to immediately put an end” to attacks “that hinder international trade and undermine the rights and freedoms of peoples”. . navigation, as well as peace and security in the region”.
Before voting in favor, the Council rejected three proposed Russian amendments to the draft resolution, which comes after a series of attacks launched by the armed group that controls the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, and which has pledged to prevent any ships from head towards Israel.
Russia abstained from the vote, allowing the Council to adopt the draft resolution condemning it.
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2024-01-11 10:07:30
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