The 32-year-old bulk carrier Luni has split in two and partially sunk at an anchorage off Bandar Abbas, Iran, in the northern sector of the Strait of Hormuz.
The vessel, IMO 9070711, appears to have sustained a broken keel before settling on the shallow seabed. Its midsection is submerged, while the bow and stern remain above the water at steep angles.
No authoritative account of the casualty has been released. Anecdotal reports suggest that Luni collided with another merchant vessel several days earlier and that damage from the reported collision may have progressed before the ship broke apart.
A broken keel can also be consistent with a heavy torpedo attack or a Quicksink strike. Both methods involve a large explosive detonation beneath a vessel amidships, forcing the hull upward and potentially breaking it in two.
U.S. forces have been conducting heavy strikes in the Bandar Abbas area. However, no kinetic incident affecting Luni has been reported.
In rare cases, improperly loaded or structurally compromised vessels can break apart on their own, although such failures seldom occur while a vessel is anchored in calm conditions.
Built in 1994, Luni had a capacity of 43,000 dwt. The vessel was registered under the flag of St. Kitts, a flag listed on the Paris MoU black list, and was operated by a Turkey-based company.
Turkish outlet Haber Deniz reported that the vessel’s owners are Syrian nationals.
Luni had accumulated more than 50 Port State Control deficiencies over the past two years.
