Two Seafarers Killed in Strait of Hormuz Tanker Attack

Two seafarers have been killed in an attack on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed Wednesday, bringing the known death toll from attacks on commercial shipping in the region to at least 18 since the conflict escalated earlier this year.

UKMTO said it received a delayed report of the August 31 security incident involving a tanker in the Strait. An initial report listed two casualties, but an update issued September 2 confirmed both had died.

“UKMTO has received confirmation that the two casualties reported in this incident have now been confirmed as fatalities,” the agency said. Authorities are investigating, and no environmental impact has been reported. 

UKMTO did not identify the tanker or those killed. Saudi Arabia, however, said Wednesday that two Filipino seafarers were killed in an Iranian attack on the Saudi-owned VLCC Sidr, according to Reuters.

Sidr, owned by Saudi national shipping company Bahri, was one of two supertankers carrying Saudi crude reported hit late Monday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Bahri said the incident occurred at approximately 11:40 p.m. local time Monday.

“The kingdom stressed the necessity of halting escalations, and respecting international maritime safety and the security of global energy supplies,” Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said.

Bahri said it remained in contact with the vessel and was coordinating with authorities and maritime industry stakeholders.

Seafarer Death Toll Continues to Rise

The fatalities add to a growing human toll among civilian mariners caught in the conflict surrounding one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints.

As of mid-July, at least 15 seafarers had been confirmed killed and dozens more injured in attacks on commercial shipping in the region.

That toll increased again last month when a seafarer aboard the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Minoan Dignity was killed after the vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while making an outbound transit of the Strait on August 17.

Another bulk carrier was struck in a separate attack two days earlier, resulting in a crew casualty, although UKMTO did not report that seafarer as having died.

The two deaths aboard Sidr therefore bring the confirmed toll to at least 18 seafarers killed since attacks on merchant shipping intensified earlier this year.

Shipping organizations have repeatedly warned that civilian crews are increasingly bearing the consequences of the conflict. In June, BIMCO, the International Chamber of Shipping, INTERCARGO and INTERTANKO issued a joint statement calling for an immediate halt to attacks on merchant vessels and stressing that seafarers “should never be collateral damage, victims or instruments of political or military pressure.”

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