UAE National Guard Rescues 22 Crew Members From Burning Cargo Ship in Gulf of Oman

The UAE National Guard rescued 22 crew members after a fire broke out aboard a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, according to Gulf News.

The Coast Guard Division of the National Guard Command launched the operation after receiving a distress call reporting a fire aboard the vessel. Specialised teams located the ship, reached it and safely evacuated all 22 crew members.

The rescued crew members were of Arab nationalities. They received first aid before being handed over to the relevant authorities. The National Guard confirmed that all 22 were in stable condition.

The Times of Israel, citing Reuters, reported that the United Arab Emirates National Guard said it had rescued 22 people, all of whom are Arab nationals, after a fire broke out on a cargo ship in the Sea of Oman.

Khaama Press reported that the rescue operation came hours after US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces had disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM identified the vessel as the St Kitts-flagged M/V Huda and said a US military aircraft fired precision munitions at its stern after the crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach Washington’s naval blockade of Iran.

According to CENTCOM, the vessel had made a port call in Iran before attempting to leave regional waters. The US military said its forces had instructed the crew to leave the areas targeted before carrying out the strike. The command did not disclose the condition of the vessel’s crew or provide further details about the damage.

Khaama Press also reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claimed that two oil tankers had caught fire after striking naval mines in or near the Strait of Hormuz. The force accused the vessels of attempting to navigate unauthorised routes.

The developments have added to concerns over commercial shipping security in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with international shipping routes. The incidents involve separate reported events, and no official information has established whether the 22 people rescued by the UAE were aboard the M/V Huda.

Gulf News also reported that Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia towards the Kingdom’s Eastern Region, according to the Saudi-led coalition. Separately, the coalition said it intercepted two ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh.

Gulf News reported that UKMTO received a delayed report of a tanker fire about 8 nautical miles north-west of Khasab, Oman, which occurred at 7.20pm UTC on Saturday, November 7. The crew had been evacuated, and UKMTO advised vessels operating in the area to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity while authorities investigate the incident.

Sources

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