Iran has seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, state media reports.
Armed men wearing masks have reportedly boarded the vessel St Nikolas, close to the Omani port of Sohar, and ordered it to sail to an Iranian port. It is unclear why the tanker has been targeted.
The St Nikolas was in transit between the Iraqi port of Basra and its intended destination in Turkey. UK Maritime Trade Operations said on Thursday it had received a report that four to five “unauthorised persons”, reportedly wearing “military style black uniforms with black masks”, had boarded the ship at 03:30 GMT.
They added that communications with the vessel had been lost and that the authorities were investigating.
Iranian state media quoted the army as describing the vessel as being American. It is unclear why as the tanker is Greek-owned.
Credit: bbc.com
