WANA (Aug 11) – A Panama-flagged container ship was targeted in the Gulf of Oman, about 71 nautical miles off the coast of Pakistan, in an incident that new reports have attributed to U.S. forces as part of a maritime blockade of Iranian ports.

 

On Tuesday, maritime security sources reported an incident involving a container ship and military forces in the Gulf of Oman. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also said it had received a report of an “incident involving a container ship and military forces” and that investigations were ongoing.

 

Hours later, The Wall Street Journal, citing a U.S. official, provided further details of the incident. According to the report, a U.S. military helicopter fired on the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova before dawn. The vessel’s rudder was reportedly the target of the attack, which came after the ship allegedly attempted to breach a maritime blockade imposed on shipping linked to Iranian ports.

 

Maritime sources also told Reuters that the Vela Nova was struck by a missile near the Pakistani coast. Available data indicated that the vessel was sailing approximately 71 nautical miles from Pakistan’s shoreline.

 

Maritime reports said the missile strike sparked a fire aboard the ship, which was later brought under control. Sources also said all 17 crew members were safe.

 

Ship-tracking data showed that the Vela Nova had previously called at the port of Mumbai. Maritime sources also reported that the vessel’s registered owner or manager is not on the U.S. sanctions list.