A total of 38 crew members were rescued from the two oil tankers that caught fire after being attacked in Iraqi waters. Iraqi port authorities confirmed that rescue teams evacuated the surviving sailors from both vessels, while one crew member was reported dead following the explosions and fire.
The rescue operation was carried out by Iraq’s State Company for Ports after the tankers — the Zefyros and the Safesea Vishnu — were set ablaze during the incident, according to news.com.au
A pair of tankers have reportedly been attacked in the Arabian Gulf, in defiance of US President Donald Trump’s insistence that Iran has already been defeated and oil companies should operate without fear.
A senior Iraqi official has told CNN the country’s ports authority rescued 38 crew members from the two tankers after they were set ablaze. One person is dead.
“We do not know the nature of the explosions that occurred on the two vessels,” said Farhan al-Fartousi, who is Director-General of the Iraqi Ports Company.
According to Reuters, the tankers may have been hit by “explosive-laden Iranian boats”.
One of the ships has a Maltese flag and the other is from the Marshall Islands. The former is owned by a company in Greece, the latter by one in the United States.
“Footage verified by CNN shows the two tankers ablaze, with flames spreading into the surrounding water – likely the result of an oil spill,” CNN reports.
“Vessel tracking data indicates they were anchored alongside each other when the fire began.”
Meanwhile, India today said an Indian national was killed after Iran launched overnight attacks on two oil tankers near Iraq’s coast, heightening tensions in the Gulf as the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran enters its second week.
The identity of the deceased Indian crew member has not yet been released. The remaining 7 crew members were rescued and transported safely to Basra in southern Iraq.
Videos circulating online showed a powerful explosion followed by large fires engulfing both tankers, with flames spreading across the surrounding waters, suggesting that oil had spilled from the vessels.
According to ship-tracking platform TankerTrackers.com, the tankers were believed to be carrying nearly 400,000 barrels of Iraqi crude oil.
The attacks are widely viewed as part of Iran’s strategy to pressure the United States and deter further military escalation in the region. Tehran had earlier warned that it would prevent oil shipments from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor.
Heightened tensions in the region have already pushed global oil prices close to $120 per barrel, raising fears of prolonged supply disruptions.
In response to the escalating situation, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any attempt by Iran to block global oil flows could lead to severe consequences for Tehran.
Meanwhile, India condemned attacks on commercial shipping in the region after another incident involving the Thai-flagged cargo vessel Mayuree Naree, which was reportedly struck by an Iranian projectile while en route to Kandla Port in Gujarat. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said such incidents pose a serious threat to maritime safety and global trade.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later claimed responsibility for the strike, stating that the vessel had ignored warnings while passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
