UKMTO reclassifies firing of commercial tankers off Omani coast as hostile attack.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) updated its security assessment on Sunday, officially reclassifying the burning of a large commercial tanker off the coast of Khasab, Oman, as a direct hostile attack.
The incident occurred on Saturday night about eight nautical miles northwest of Hessab, near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Military authorities initially reported that a commercial oil tanker caught fire at 19:20 UTC, forcing the immediate emergency evacuation of its entire crew.
Following initial investigations into the vessel damage, UKMTO reclassified the advisory from suspicious activity to an active "attack" in an updated maritime security notice.
"Military authorities reported that the tanker was on fire, which resulted in the evacuation of the crew," the UKMTO noted, advising commercial traffic passing the vital choke point to proceed with extreme caution.
Maritime security sources confirm that extinguishing operations have begun following the attack.