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Iranian oil tanker hit by two blasts in Red Sea

Press TV – October 11, 2019

Two separate explosions, possibly caused by missile attacks, have hit an Iranian oil tanker operated by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) near the Saudi port city of Jeddah, in what Tehran calls a “dangerous adventure”.

The incident took place some 60 miles from Jeddah early Friday, according to a statement by the NITC.

The explosions have hit the vessel’s hull, causing heavy damages to the vessel’s two main tanks, which has resulted in an oil spill in the Red Sea. The spill is currently stopped, according to officials.

Technical experts are currently investigating the cause of the explosion. They believe it was a “terrorist attack”, unnamed sourced told the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA).

The statement by NITC said the SABITI tanker was hit by two separate explosions at 5:00 and 5:20 am Friday, probably after being struck by missiles.

It said the crew members are currently safe and none of them has been harmed in the explosions. The tanker is currently in a stable condition, the statement added.

The NITC later dismissed the reports that the vessel had caught fire, according to the Iranian Ministry of Petroleum’s official news agency SHANA.

‘Dangerous adventure’

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman later described the attack as “a dangerous adventure”, warning that all the responsibilities fall on those behind it.

“The investigations conducted by the National Iranian Tanker Company indicate the Iranian tanker has sustained damages after being targeted twice, at half-hourly intervals, from a place near its shipping route in the east of the Red Sea,” Abbas Mousavi said Friday.

He expressed concern about the maritime pollution caused by the massive oil spill in the region after damages inflicted on the vessel’s tanks, and said, “All the responsibilities for the act, including the extensive environmental pollution in the region, fall on those behind the dangerous adventure.”

He also noted that a probe is being conducted on the details of the attack and those behind it, and the results will be announced once it’s done.

Earlier in the day, the US Navy’s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet announced it is aware of media reports about the blast but had no further information.

“We are aware of the reports but we don’t have any further information,” a spokesman said.

The blasts have caused oil prices to jump by over 2 percent, media reports said.

The explosions came a few months after Iranian oil tanker Happiness-1 faced “engine failure” and lost its control with 26 on board off the Red Sea port of Jeddah, and was later transferred to the port city for maintenance.

According to Iranian officials, the incident had occurred on April 30 while Happiness I was on its way to the Suez Canal, and that water had leaked into the tanker’s engine room.

The Saudis refused to let the vessel leave and demanded that Iran pay $200,000 a day for maintaining the vessel in the port, some $10 million in total. It was finally released on July 20 and returned home.

October 11, 2019 - Posted by | Aletho News | , ,

3 Comments »

  1. I listen to NPR most mornings to learn what “they” are trying to get us to think/feel. This attack on an Iran asset is covered differently by NPR than other such attacks are covered.

    Notable was no mention of suspects in this attack on the Iran oil tanker.

    No mention that “ISIS” or “Al Qaeda” or ??? claimed responsibility.

    For the Zionist NPR, this attack seems to be a positive.

    Like

    Comment by rediscover911com | October 11, 2019 | Reply

  2. “Earlier in the day, the US Navy’s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet announced it is aware of media reports about the blast but had no further information”.

    The Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, in the Gulf of Hormuz, has no idea what happened??? Does that mean it is not monitoring its surrounding areas(using U.S. Satellite?). Is it “McHales Navy”?
    Diego Garcia has no idea either? Pine Gap and North West Cape(both in Australia) have no idea what happened?

    The Mighty USA Military Industrial Complex has no idea? Sorry, “Pull the other one” will you?

    Like

    Comment by Brian Harry, Australia | October 11, 2019 | Reply

  3. That damn radar operator is still asleep. This is in the strait not in the desert. They had 20 minutes to wake up and turn the machine on. Are you sure the US army is inn the Middle East?

    Like

    Comment by GGH | October 11, 2019 | Reply


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