Human remains were found aboard a Thai-flagged cargo vessel that was attacked last month in the Strait of Hormuz, the vessel’s owner and Thailand officials said.
The authorities were unable to immediately confirm the identities of the dead.
Thailand’s foreign ministry said search teams located the remains on the Thai-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree during a second boarding operation conducted under difficult conditions, including severe fire damage and flooding in the engine room, reported The Nation.
The vessel’s owner, Precious Shipping, confirmed that “certain human remains were found within the affected area of the vessel,” but said it could not yet determine either the number of individuals or their identities, according to the AFP.
The company has informed the families of three crew members who had been reported missing following the incident. A total of 20 Thai crew members had earlier been rescued and returned home in mid-March after being evacuated by the Omani navy.
The ship was transiting the Strait of Hormuz on 11 March when it was struck, sustaining heavy damage to its aft section. The impact triggered a major fire and led to flooding in the vessel’s mechanical compartments, complicating subsequent search efforts.
According to the Thai authorities, the search operation was carried out in “challenging conditions” due to the extent of the damage.
The foreign ministry said it was “saddened” by the discovery and would work with Thai embassies, Iranian authorities and forensic specialists to establish the identities of those found.
The attack took place during a period of escalating regional conflict. US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February were followed by retaliatory action from Tehran, which effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in March they had targeted the Mayuree Naree and a Liberia-flagged vessel because the ships had ignored “warnings”.
The cargo vessel had departed Khalifa port in the United Arab Emirates and was travelling through the strait in ballast – meaning it was not carrying cargo at the time of the incident.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf to global shipping lanes, has seen a rise in attacks involving drones and naval confrontations in recent months, placing commercial vessels and civilian crews at increasing risk.
The United Nations Security Council postponed a planned vote on Friday on authorising the use of “defensive” force to protect shipping in the waterway from further attacks.
Precious Shipping said the vessel is covered by war-risk insurance and does not expect the incident to have a material financial impact or disrupt overall operations at this stage.
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