Vessel Seized Off UAE and Directed Toward Iranian Waters: UKMTO
A vessel anchored northeast of the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah was boarded by unauthorized personnel on Thursday and subsequently directed toward Iranian territorial waters, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). Maritime security sources identified the ship as the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan, a fishery research vessel. The incident occurred approximately 38 nautical miles from Fujairah. British maritime risk management group Vanguard reported that the vessel's security officer confirmed the takeover by Iranian personnel at 0545 GMT. Following the seizure, the vessel ceased transmitting its position via the Automated Identification System (AIS), and contact was lost. The operator, SG Navigation, could not be reached for comment. This event marks at least the third vessel seized by Iran since the conflict escalated with US and Israeli strikes on February 28. Tracking data indicated the vessel was last seen within Iran's exclusive economic zone in the Gulf of Oman earlier in May. The incident highlights ongoing maritime security risks in the region amidst heightened geopolitical tensions.
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