NICOSIA, July 13 – A crew member from India is still missing after a container ship registered in Cyprus was hit in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. Cyprus's Deputy Ministry of Shipping announced that a search operation is currently underway.
Cypriot authorities reported that the ship, named the GFS Galaxy, was struck by an “unidentified projectile” while it was passing through the waterway early Sunday morning.
The crew evacuated the ship using a lifeboat, and 23 members were later rescued by the Oman Navy, according to Cyprus's Deputy Ministry of Shipping.
One Indian crew member, who holds the position of third engineer, is still unaccounted for, the Deputy Ministry said.
“The ship is currently being towed to the nearest safe anchorage at the UAE port of Khor Fakkan. The towing team is actively searching for the missing crew member,” the Deputy Ministry mentioned in an email to Reuters.
In response to the incident, the U.S. military has conducted a new series of strikes against Iran after forces from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked the Cypriot-flagged ship.
Iran's IRGC navy stated that they had targeted a vessel that posed a threat to maritime security by turning off its systems. This occurred after the ship, along with other vessels, attempted to pass through an unauthorized path despite being warned to change course.