LONDON/DOHA, July 8 (Reuters) – The Qatari LNG tanker Al Rekayyat is currently stationary near the Strait of Hormuz, awaiting salvage operations after a fire broke out on board. This follows a projectile hitting the vessel, according to ship tracking data and industry sources on Wednesday.
The tanker, which was loaded with liquefied natural gas, was struck on its port side late Tuesday night. Sources indicate that the vessel is in danger of exploding due to a fire in the engine room.
Efforts to put out the fire are ongoing, as an industry insider informed Reuters that all crew members have been safely evacuated.
According to another industry source, the LNG in the tanker’s tanks remains secure, and there are no breaches reported.
One source noted that as long as the vessel is not attacked again, it is expected to stay intact and not explode.
“Breaching a main tank would be catastrophic,” added the second source.
Two vessels, a tugboat and a separate service ship, are currently near the tanker, which is located close to Oman’s coast at the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz, as per ship tracking data from LSEG and MarineTraffic.
Nakilat, the company that owns the Al Rekayyat tanker, did not respond to requests for comment, nor did QatarEnergy.
On Tuesday, Qatar’s foreign ministry stated that Iran is fully responsible for the attack and summoned the deputy Iranian ambassador to protest the incident involving the tanker.
This incident marks the first time a Qatari LNG ship has been struck since the beginning of the ongoing conflict involving Iran on February 28.