Crew evacuated as massive fire engulfs tanker near Iraq’s key export gateway, sparking security and environmental concerns.
WEB DESK: Tensions across the Persian Gulf intensified Thursday after a foreign-flagged oil tanker caught fire following a suspected targeted strike near Iraq’s southern port of Port of Umm Qasr.
The vessel, reportedly positioned along the outer approach channel of the terminal, was hit by unidentified projectiles early in the morning, triggering a massive blaze and sending thick black smoke across the southern coastline of Basra.
According to Al Jazeera, Iraqi maritime emergency teams and naval patrol units rushed to the scene after a distress signal was received at around 08:30 local time. Officials say the attack appears to have been a deliberate strike aimed at disrupting crude shipments from one of Iraq’s most strategic export routes.
Authorities confirmed that most crew members were evacuated by nearby tugboats and patrol vessels. Several sailors are reportedly receiving treatment for smoke inhalation, while emergency crews continue efforts to control the fire.
Environmental experts have raised alarm about the possibility of an oil spill, particularly given the tanker’s proximity to the sensitive ecosystem of the Shatt al-Arab delta. Containment boom barriers have been deployed around the vessel, but extreme heat has complicated attempts to inspect the ship’s storage tanks.
The incident has already rattled global energy markets, pushing crude prices upward amid fears of instability in a region responsible for a significant share of the world’s oil supply. Maritime security forces have since heightened alert levels while commercial shipping operators steer clear of the Umm Qasr approach until further notice.
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