UKMTO records fire on launch in Iranian waters near Al-Faw
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported a fire aboard a launch 63 nautical miles southeast of Al-Faw in Iranian territorial waters; the crew's condition and the cause of the incident are unknown.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Monday evening that a fire broke out on a marine launch within Iranian territorial waters off the Iraqi coast, without specifying the cause of the incident or the condition of the crew.
The agency said it had received multiple reports that the fire occurred on a launch — a medium-sized boat used for light maritime transport — 63 nautical miles southeast of Al-Faw in Iraq, adding that the condition of the crew, the extent of the damage and any environmental impact were unclear at the time the report was prepared.
Separately, data compiled by a Washington-based research centre that has been tracking maritime security incidents since 2017 showed that this October was the worst month for attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waterways.
Records from the International Maritime Organization indicate that more than 30 giant tankers have been damaged by attacks, including 11 tankers in October alone, according to a Reuters review of the organization's list and vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic.
