Two fuel tankers were reportedly attacked late Wednesday near the southern coast of Basra in the northern Persian Gulf, triggering fires aboard both vessels and raising fresh concerns over security along key oil shipping routes. Iraqi officials said the tankers were struck by boats packed with explosives in waters close to Basra, near some of Iraq’s most important oil export terminals. The incident occurred along one of the busiest energy shipping corridors in the world.
The ships involved were the Maltese-flagged Zefyros oil tanker and the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu oil tanker. Vessel-tracking data showed the two tankers were anchored alongside each other when the fire began.
Images and videos circulating online showed a massive blaze at sea, with flames spreading across the vessels and into the surrounding water, while thick black smoke rose high above the water.
According to Iraqi authorities, at least one person was killed in the attack. Rescue teams later pulled 38 crew members from the burning vessels.
Farhan al-Fartousi, director general of the Iraqi Ports Company, told CNN that all of the rescued crew were foreign nationals. However, he did not immediately provide details about injuries or the extent of damage to the ships.
Officials told Reuters that an initial investigation by Iraqi security authorities suggested explosive-laden Iranian boats struck the tankers operating in the area. Authorities have not yet issued a final determination on who carried out the attack.
The Safesea Vishnu is a crude oil tanker sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands. Built in 2007, the Panamax/LR1-class vessel is approximately 228.6 meters long and 32.57 meters wide, with a deadweight capacity of about 73,970 metric tons. It carries the IMO number 9327009 and MMSI 538009517.
The registered owner of the Safesea Vishnu is the US-based company Safesea Transport Inc., based in Piscataway, New Jersey.
Vessel tracking data shows the Safesea Vishnu had recently been operating in the Persian Gulf and was heading toward Khor Al Zubair Port in Iraq, with its most recent recorded route listed as KAZ OPL, an offshore loading point near the Iraqi coast.
The Zefyros tanker, meanwhile, is owned by a company based in Greece.
Initial Iraqi media reports said the tanker fire occurred near the Port of Umm Qasr in southern Iraq.
The incident comes amid rising tensions in the region and growing disruption to global oil shipping routes. Recent security threats have already slowed tanker traffic through the nearby Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for global energy supplies.
