Mystery surrounding ‘hijacked’ and ‘rudderless’ tankers in Gulf of Oman | Abroad

A total of four ships in the Gulf of Oman – between the United Arab Emirates and Iran – have issued an automatic warning. Their status was ‘Not Under Command’, which usually implies that the ships cannot move due to an exceptional situation.

What exactly is going on with the four ships – according to international media the Queen Ematha, the Golden Brilliant, Jag Pooja and Abyss – is unknown. Government agencies have not yet announced anything. The British navy is holding tight.

An Iran spokesperson said on Twitter that the ‘reported incidents are extremely dubious’. The country says it is doing everything it can to monitor ‘stability and security’ in the region and says it wants to offer all assistance in the event of incidents.

The United States says it is very concerned about the possible hijacking of the tanker. However, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is “too early” to make a judgment.

Drone attack

The possible hijacking comes days after a drone attack on another ship, which killed four people, three EU citizens and a Brit. Israel, Britain and the US all hold Iran responsible for that attack. The EU is still on the brink.

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