TEHRAN: Iranian forces have reportedly fired at and seized a US cargo ship with 34 sailors on board, according to the US Defense Ministry.
The vessel has been directed to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on the southern coast, Al-Arabiya has reported.
The incident took place in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday after the ship, a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel with 34 crew aboard, reportedly trespassed on Iranian waters.
Reports say that Iranian naval forces fired warning shots across the bow of the vessels.
According to Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, the captain of the vessel had to comply with the orders of the Iranian forces after the warning shots.
The cargo ship “complied with the Iranian demand and proceeded into Iranian waters in the vicinity of Larak Island,” Warren said.
He further noted that there have been no US nationals in the vessel and nobody has suffered injuries in the incident.
Following the incident, the Marshall Islands-flagged ship sent distress call toUSS Farragut, but the destroyer left after Iranian forces told it not to intervene.
The destroyer was directed “to proceed at best speed to the nearest location of the Maersk Tigris,” he said.
According to Press TV, the cargo ship was seized due to legal issues, with an Iranian Foreign Ministry source telling Press TV that the ship has been seized over financial violations.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
