Iran Seizes Vessel in Gulf of Oman
Iranian forces have reportedly seized a vessel operating as a “floating armoury” in the Gulf of Oman, according to maritime security company Vanguard. The ship is said to be heading toward Iranian territorial waters following the incident. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also confirmed that the vessel was moving toward Iranian waters after being intercepted. BBC Verify reviewed tracking information from MarineTraffic, which showed the vessel — identified as the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan — last transmitted its position about 70km northeast of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. According to Vanguard, the operators of the Hui Chuan stated that the ship was functioning as a floating armoury. Such vessels are commonly used by private maritime security companies to store weapons and ammunition for guards protecting commercial ships from piracy attacks. The exact cargo onboard the vessel and […]