A tanker was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman on Tuesday, sustaining minor damage to the hull with no injuries or spillage of the gas oil cargo, Israeli-controlled Eastern Pacific Shipping said on Wednesday.
Three maritime sources told Reuters that a drone was suspected to have attacked the tanker.
The Singapore-based firm, which manages the vessel, said it was investigating the incident involving the Pacific Zircon tanker approximately 150 miles off Oman. All crew were safe and accounted for, it said.
"Preliminary reports indicate the vessel...was hit by a projectile," said Eastern Pacific Shipping, which is controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer.
"There is some minor damage to the vessel's hull but no spillage of cargo or water ingress."
Gulf waters have in recent years seen attacks on tankers that have come at times of heightened regional tensions with Iran. In July 2021, a suspected drone attack hit a petroleum product tanker managed by an Israeli firm off Oman's coast. Iran denied accusations it was responsible.
According to shipping tracking site MarineTraffic, the Pacific Zircon was last seen off the coast of Liwa, Oman on Monday morning. It departed from Sohar, Oman on Monday afternoon with its destination set as the port of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet earlier told Reuters it is aware of an incident in the Gulf of Oman involving a commercial vessel but gave no further details.
(Reporting by Maha El Dahan and Ghaida Ghantous in Dubai and Jonathan Saul in London; Additional reporting by Akriti Sharma in Bengaluru and Lina Najem in Dubai; Editing by Toby Chopra and Angus MacSwan)
