A cargo vessel sailing in the Gulf was struck by two explosions, including one caused by a drone attack, about 40 nautical miles southeast of Iraq's Umm Qasr port, Iraqi officials said Monday, raising fresh concerns over maritime security in the region.
Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the vessel had been hit by some sort of projectile on its starboard side, causing a large explosion.
A second explosion struck the same vessel and was the result of a drone attack, according to an initial assessment, the Iraqi officials told Reuters.
The fire aboard the vessel was later brought under control, they added.
"As we were assessing the damage from the first explosion, we heard a drone hovering overhead, followed by a powerful blast that sparked a fire on the tanker," an Iraqi maritime patrol member told Reuters.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack and no information on the identity of the vessel was available.
