DUBAI, March 11 (Reuters) – Three vessels have been hit by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, maritime security agencies and sources said on Wednesday, as one of the strikes led to a fire onboard a ship and forced most of its crew to evacuate it.
The Thailand-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was targeted and damaged approximately 11 nautical miles north of Oman, two maritime security sources said.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said later, referring to the incident, that the fire had been extinguished and that there was no environmental impact. Necessary crew remained on the vessel.
Earlier, the Japan-flagged container ship One Majesty had sustained minor damage from an unknown projectile 25 nautical miles (46 km) northwest of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, two maritime security sources said.
Its crew members are safe and the vessel is sailing towards a safe anchorage, the sources added.
A third vessel, a bulk carrier, was also hit by an unknown projectile approximately 50 miles northwest of Dubai, maritime security firms said.
The projectile had damaged the hull of the Marshall Islands-flagged Star Gwyneth, maritime risk management company Vanguard said, adding that the vessel’s crew were safe.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery accounting for about 20% of global oil and gas supply, has dropped rapidly since the Iran conflict began on February 28.
The latest incidents increase the number of ships that have been attacked since the conflict began to at least 14.
(Reporting by Jonathan Saul in London, Yannis Souliotis in Athens, Tala Ramadan and Nayera Abdallah in Dubai; Writing by Renee Maltezou in Athens; Editing by Louise Heavens)
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