A tanker in the Persian Gulf has been hit by two unidentified projectiles about 50 nautical miles north of Madinat ash Shamal, Qatar, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said in a warning dated Nov. 5.
The agency had not confirmed the crew's condition, the extent of damage or whether the strike caused pollution. Its notice does not identify the tanker or its flag. The warning is listed as incident 196.
UKMTO told vessels in the area to proceed cautiously and report suspicious activity while authorities investigate. The notice does not announce a port closure or a new shipping-route restriction.
For US operators, an existing Maritime Administration advisory covers threats to commercial vessels throughout the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. It advises US-flagged commercial vessels to coordinate voyage planning with US Naval Forces Central Command's shipping guidance service and consider its recommendations on routes and areas to avoid.
That US advisory, issued Sept. 9 and listed as active, also recommends a pre-voyage risk assessment and monitoring VHF Channel 16. Operators should report attacks or suspicious activity to the US Fifth Fleet and UKMTO. Its guidance predates this incident. The new Qatar warning does not identify who carried out the strike.
