Oil tanker hijacked off UAE by armed men
A Panama-flagged ship was the victim of a suspected hijacking in the Gulf of Oman by unidentified armed men on 3 August. The tanker was reportedly boarded by armed men and ordered to sail to Iran.
Lloyd’s List Maritime Intelligence confirms that the suspected hijacked tanker in the Gulf of Oman is the Panama-flagged MV Asphalt Princess.
In the early hours of 4 August, the suspected hijackers who seized the vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates abandoned the ship. The British Royal Navy has declared the ship is now “safe” and UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reports she is heading towards Oman.
Lloyd’s List Intelligence AIS tracking shows MV Asphalt Princess heading towards Oman after armed hijackers who seized the tanker Tuesday left the vessel.
According to BBC News, nine armed men took over the ship, as it neared the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
It is still unclear who seized the ship. The suspected hijacking follows a recent incident where an oil tanker operated by an Israeli-owned company was attacked by a drone off Oman which killed two security guards – one British and the other Romanian.
