Crew member killed, 27 evacuated after ship targeted near Strait of Hormuz

A crew member was killed and 27 others were evacuated after a ship was targeted near the Strait of Hormuz, Oman's Maritime Security Center said.

The vessel, identified as the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged CAPE DAO, was struck approximately 2.5 nautical miles off Musandam, the Omani peninsula that overlooks the strait, one of the world's most strategically important waterways for oil and gas shipments.

The Maritime Security Center did not immediately detail the nature of the attack or identify those responsible in the information it released. Authorities in the region have in recent years reported a series of incidents affecting commercial shipping near the strait, through which a substantial share of the world's seaborne oil trade passes.

Strait remains a flashpoint

The Strait of Hormuz has long been considered a potential flashpoint given its narrow width and its importance to global energy supplies. Any disruption to shipping through the strait tends to draw close attention from international shipping insurers and energy markets.

Oman, which controls part of the strait's northern shore, plays a key role in monitoring maritime traffic and coordinating responses to incidents in the area. Further details about the condition of the surviving crew members and the cause of the incident were not immediately available.