DUBAI: Iranian commandos have seized a US-bound oil tanker with 24 Indian crew members on board, according to the vessel’s operator, Advantage Tankers.
The tanker, named Advantage Sweet and flagged by the Marshall Islands, was carrying oil from Kuwait and chartered by Chevron Corp and was headed for Houston, Texas.
The seizure occurred on Thursday after an alleged collision with an Iranian vessel off the coast of Oman, which Iran said left two of its crew members missing and several others injured.
Footage aired by Iranian state television showed navy commandos rappelling onto the deck of the vessel from a helicopter.
Iran said it attempted to contact the tanker but received no response, prompting the seizure. The ship’s operator said it was working to secure the crew’s release, adding that past experience showed that crew members caught up in similar incidents were not in danger.
The incident is the latest in a series of escalating tensions in the sensitive waters of the Gulf, which carry about a third of the world’s seaborne oil.
Incidents after US withdrawal from nuclear agreement with Iran
Similar incidents have become more frequent since 2018 when the US withdrew from a landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and major powers and reimposed sanctions on the country. Efforts to restore the deal have stalled.
The latest seizure came just days after Western governments increased sanctions on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The US Navy has demanded the immediate release of the tanker, condemning Iran’s “continued harassment” in Gulf waters.
