A UAE-owned offshore tug identified by maritime security consultancy Vanguard Tech as Selat Storm was reportedly struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on 1 November 2026, with the vessel subsequently reported to be partially sinking.
UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) received a report of the incident at 1509 UTC after the master of a passing merchant vessel relayed a Mayday distress call received over VHF Channel 16. The call indicated that another vessel had been struck by an unknown projectile.
UKMTO did not identify the affected vessel or confirm the extent of the damage. Authorities were investigating the incident, and vessels transiting the area were advised to exercise caution and report suspicious activity.
The reported strike occurred northwest of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, within the Strait of Hormuz.
Vanguard Tech subsequently identified the vessel as Selat Storm, an offshore tug and supply vessel of approximately 1,300 deadweight tonnes (dwt).
AIS information cited in maritime reporting indicated that the tug had recently departed Al Hamriyah in the United Arab Emirates after remaining alongside for several weeks.
The security consultancy reported that Selat Storm was partially sinking following the strike. However, the vessel’s condition had not been independently confirmed, and no verified information was available regarding the safety of its crew.
Neither the source of the projectile nor the identity of those responsible for the incident had been established.
The reported attack followed a separate incident involving an offshore tug northeast of Khor Fakkan, UAE, in the Gulf of Oman on 18 October.
In that case, UKMTO reported that a southbound tug had been struck by two unidentified projectiles. The vessel sustained damage and one person suffered minor injuries, but the tug was able to continue its passage.
Maritime security company Clearwater Dynamics subsequently identified the tug involved in the 18 October incident as the Dutch-flagged JIF Barracuda. The vessel’s identity was not disclosed in the original UKMTO warning.
The latest incident also followed a reported strike involving the Qatari LNG carrier Al Mayeda in the Arabian Gulf on 30 October.
In an official statement, Nakilat confirmed that Al Mayeda had been hit by unidentified objects while transiting the Arabian Gulf on Friday evening.
The company said that no crew members were injured and that no environmental impact had been reported. It also confirmed that the LNG carrier remained in a safe and operational condition while the damage assessment continued.
Unlike the LNG carrier, whose condition was confirmed by its operator, the reported damage to Selat Storm and the status of its crew remained unverified in the available information.
UKMTO advised vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz to maintain caution and report suspicious activity while authorities investigated the latest incident.
