Two Ships Sink Near Strait of Hormuz After Projectile Strikes
RIYADH, October 15 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - A container ship and a dry bulk carrier sank near the Strait of Hormuz in the 24 hours preceding reports from maritime officials on Wednesday, October 14, after separate projectile strikes. The GFS Pride was sailing through the strait on Tuesday, while the Cape Dao had been struck weeks earlier, on September 23.
The Singapore-flagged GFS Pride sustained damage and a fire before sinking, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said. All 21 crew members were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported.
The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged Cape Dao sank close to the strait, according to International Maritime Organization data. One crew member was killed in the September 23 strike, and the remaining crew were evacuated immediately afterwards, maritime sources said.
The vessels’ UAE-based managers, GFS Ship Management FZE and Peonies Shipmanagement FZE, could not immediately be reached for comment. Maritime risk management company MARISKS said the incidents highlighted continuing risks to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, including container ships and bulk carriers.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore expressed concern over continued attacks on commercial shipping and described them as unjustifiable and a breach of international law. A Reuters analysis of International Maritime Organization casualty data identified the GFS Pride and Cape Dao as the second and third vessels to sink since the U.S.-Iran war began on February 28.
Attacks around the Strait of Hormuz have intensified over the past 10 days, with Iran saying it was stepping up strikes in response to the U.S. blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions introduced last month. The escalation has raised concerns over a waterway that handled about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade before the war.
Source: Reuters.
