Three Thai sailors remain trapped and unaccounted for after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched a projectile attack on their commercial vessel transiting through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The incident occurred Wednesday when the Thai-registered bulk carrier Mayuree Naree sustained two direct hits while navigating the Gulf waterway after departing Khalifa port in the United Arab Emirates.
According to Precious Shipping, the vessel’s operating company, the projectiles penetrated the ship’s engine room, triggering a significant fire and rendering critical systems inoperable. While 20 crew members were successfully evacuated by Omani naval forces following the attack, three engineers remain missing and are presumed trapped in the damaged compartment.
Managing Director Khalid Hashim confirmed Thursday that rescue teams had been unable to board the disabled vessel despite the fire being extinguished. ‘We still have not been able to get anyone to board our ship,’ Hashim stated in an email to AFP. ‘We are trying different avenues to get onboard.’
The Iranian military acknowledged striking both the Mayuree Naree and a separate Liberia-flagged vessel, claiming the ships had ignored prior warnings. Thailand’s Foreign Ministry has formally protested what it termed ‘violence against commercial ships’ and confirmed all 23 crew members were Thai nationals.
This attack marks the latest escalation in regional tensions following U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran in late February. The strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of global oil supplies transit, has become increasingly volatile, threatening international shipping lanes and creating instability in global energy markets.