Tug hit by missile while assisting stricken boxship
AD Ports-operated vessel was reportedly offering assistance to containership Safeen Prestige
Tug Mussafah-2 would be the 10th vessel to be attacked since the conflict in the Middle East began, with several seafarers feared dead
A TUG sent to assist a containership hit by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz has itself been struck, Lloyd’s List understands.
According to maritime security company Vanguard, Abu Dhabi Ports-operated Mussafah 2 (IMO: 9522051) was reportedly providing assistance to Malta-flagged, 1,740 teu Safeen Prestige (IMO: 9593517) when it was hit by projectiles at around 1400 hrs on March 6, 18 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman.
The containership was heading eastbound through the strait when it was hit above the waterline at 1109 hrs on March 4, around two nautical miles north of Salib, Oman.
Safeen Prestige’s crew evacuated the containership following the attack earlier this week, which resulted in an engine fire.
The AD Ports Group-controlled feeder has been adrift since its crew abandoned it on Wednesday.
All of the tug’s crew, which is thought to be eight seafarers, are feared dead as a result of today’s attack.
UKMTO issued an alert on the incident, citing a third-party source, and said authorities are investigating.
Lloyd’s List has not been able to confirm whether any seafarers have lost their lives in the attack.
If accurate, this latest attack would take the number of seafarers killed since the conflict began to 11, after two seafarers were killed on board combined chemical and oil tanker Skylight (IMO: 9330020) and one on product tanker MKD Vyom (IMO: 9284386) earlier this week.
