A container ship sank after striking a mine in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, amid a wave of attacks on shipping in the region and stalled talks between the US and Iran. More than 20 oil tankers and other vessels have been attacked this month.
The Singapore-registered container ship GFS Pride caught fire and later sank, with all 21 crew members rescued, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
Photos and videos shared on social media show smoke rising from the listing vessel and dozens of shipping containers floating in the water.
A second Singapore-registered vessel, the GFS Giselle, was struck the same day, sustaining hull damage. It managed to leave the area under its own power, with no injuries reported among the crew.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said the GFS Pride, which was carrying more than 2,500 containers, sank while sailing along what it described as an “unauthorized and dangerous route.”
“Local vessels and fishermen must exercise the utmost safety when navigating this route so they do not collide with containers floating on the water,” the IRGC Navy said in a statement carried by Press TV.
Top Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reiterated earlier this month that Iran would not reopen the vital waterway, which normally handles around a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil and LNG trade, until the US accepts Tehran’s terms. The conditions include lifting sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian funds.
The US Navy said it had guided more than 1,600 vessels through the Strait of Hormuz between May and mid-September along routes that Iran considers illegal.
On Saturday, US forces struck and disabled the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Molica, which US Central Command (CENTCOM) said had attempted to violate the blockade of Iranian ports.
On Wednesday, CENTCOM released a video showing an October 6 strike on a sailing vessel that it claimed had been “conducting surveillance and targeting the US Navy ships” on behalf of Iran.
Iran said on Sunday that the US response to its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was insufficient, despite Washington accepting some of Tehran’s seven conditions. Iranian officials said they were reviewing the response, while warning that fighting could resume even if a deal is reached.